Water
by Servatia
Summary: Sequel to Air and Earth, but I'll make it readable as a stand-alone. I know I said I wouldn't bother, but here goes. The mission of our crew is to re-establish contact with an underwater species and to help if necessary. Doesn't sound like too much trouble. Except things are never simple.
1. Here, There, Everywhere

_((I know I took an awful lot of time with this. I was uncertain where to start, wanted to have another short intro, and wondered how to do that. So here goes._

_Again, I'll try and make this clear as a stand-alone. So I will occasionally refer back to Air and Earth, but mostly, this is a story of its own._

_The chapter heading here was _Under the Sea_ at first, but then I decided (after finishing chapter 6) that I'd try and be very consistent with my chapter headings: From 3 through 6 I had quotes from Britten's _The Turn of the Screw_. So I challenged myself to stick to those for the rest of the fic. I don't think that's going to be very difficult. So, no, not a Beatles reference. These are, by the way, words of the Governess. And I don't want the context of the opera associated with the text, that wouldn't work at all.))_

* * *

Jim couldn't keep the smile from his face. He was sitting on the bridge of a ship – his ship!, would receive the details for their first mission in a moment, was back in business … Most of the crew would have heard the news that he had practically risen from the grave. Even if it wasn't anywhere near that simple, the fact remained that he, Spock, and Bones were a lot younger than they were supposed to be, and what was more, alive. The latter had, the night before, wistfully remarked that without the ritual that had given them back almost a century of their time, he would be dead by now. Then the melancholy had given way to happiness so pure that Jim knew all was well with the world. His reverie was interrupted by the Andorian communications officer.

'I have an incoming call from the Cristóbal de Morales space station.' Her voice was quiet but audible – an odd quality but one Jim was certain he would appreciate.

'On Screen,' he said simply. The face of the Admiral appeared, and from the look the two ensigns in front of him exchanged, people were impressed.

'Interesting crew you have here. Would you like to introduce them to me?' Ndaga's eyes twinkled, and Jim knew what this was. Andorian names were almost as hard to pronounce as Vulcan last names. That last was something he wouldn't even try.

'Lieutenant Spock, Lieutenant Commander Hannah Blau, Lieutenants Sereli Zh'Rane, Jakub Blanik, and Niall Doherty. And right here in front of me, Ensigns Melav and Kathy Mellow.' Judging from the slight smirk on Zh'Rane's face, his Andorian wasn't all that perfect.

'The names of your navigator and helmsman sound very much alike. And it seems you didn't press your point?' Jim smiled. He couldn't see Melav's face, but could very well imagine his expression at that remark. Tellarites probably didn't appreciate that kind of humour.

'I decided I'd rather not make too much noise before someone notices that a Lieutenant serves as first officer.' He had wanted everything to be as it had been at the first five year mission, but Ndaga had recommended him to adapt to the changing times and choose someone else as head of the science department. Nowadays, a first officer was just that and had no other responsibilities than those that came with the job.

'Then Spock is first officer only, and Blau is the head of sciences,' Ndaga concluded.

'Yes, sir, and second officer.'

'It will be interesting to see what you do with this constellation.' Jim's smile didn't falter. He also knew what this was. A Tellarite helmsman might be a challenge.

'Representatives of all the founders of the Federation. I must say, I like it that way, Admiral.'

'Have you received your orders from Williams or didn't he say yet?' Jim licked his lips.

'He … seemed to have little time on his hands.' Admiral Ndaga laughed.

'I translate that to, he didn't want to talk to you more than was necessary. Oh, there's your counsellor, too.' T'Kray had exited the turbolift and stood tall beside her seat. 'You can sit, Lieutenant.' Ndaga cleared his throat. 'You will go to a planet called Driin. It consists mostly of water, with only one small mass of land. Driin is inhabited by a species commonly called water dwellers. Any experience with them?' Jim raised his eyebrows.

'No, none so far. Blau?'

'They're a very unique species that has sought membership of the Federation for a couple of centuries. They call themselves the Dariis. Their major problem so far was the fact that they can't survive outside the water for a long time. Three years ago, they published the results of research enabling them to do so. They wanted to test their equipment in vessels that aren't flooded, but since then nothing has been heard from them.'

'Precisely. Learn what their problem is, help, if they need it and if you can. There were also plans to move the human settlement underwater because of the inconveniently small space on the surface. That seems to have been done, because nothing is on the island. Personally, I fear they're dead. There is no contact with them, either. Find the water dwellers, ask them where the hell the humans went, and send a report to Starfleet command. You will also meet with another vessel in orbit around Driin, but they will arrive after you. They bring a couple of cadets for training. Until they do, be as useful as you can. Farewell, Captain, and good luck.'

'Thank you, Admiral.'


	2. Today by the Dead Salt Sea

The small landing party had arrived in the centre of the island. It was, Spock found, nothing more than a large piece of jagged rock, with them in the middle at the highest point. The sun was so hot even he felt slightly uncomfortable. He understood the necessity to move the humans underwater, away from harm. 'Spock to Covenant.'

'Kirk here.'

'Captain, there are no signs of a settlement at first sight. We shall inspect more thoroughly.'

'Yes. But hurry, you have no shelter.'

'Affirmative.' Blau was already taking readings, while Doherty checked the surroundings, including the sky, for anything suspicious. Jim had wanted to come down with them, but at a glance from T'Kray had changed his mind. Times had changed since their first five-year mission, and nowadays it was rather unusual for a captain to join a landing party. Spock had no illusions, Jim Kirk would come down here if they got a chance to meet the water dwellers, but for now, he did as he was expected.

'Sir, I have found the descent,' Blau's dark voice called out. With a few quick steps, Spock was at her side.

'Do not touch the metal,' he said quickly.

'Functional?' Blau ran her scanner and shrugged.

'I don't know. Dariian technology is very different to ours. The tricorder says no, but I can't be certain.' She frowned. 'According to the tricorder, the descent is only a heating system with some electricity that might or might not be intended to run through it. Apart from that, I see that some sort of organism lives around the edges of the … of the tube, but other than that, I get no readings.' Spock refrained from offering the explanation. He was, after all, much older than her, even if he did not look like it. They would, no doubt, meet in the conference room after beaming back up, and this could wait. He almost smiled when he thought what Jim and Leonard would have to say to the fact that he held back what he knew. It was a very un-Vulcan thing to do. But Blau was looking at him, expecting some answer. He went for a part of the truth.

'For now we assume the readings are correct and there is nothing else. We will certainly not try if there is now way down.' The descent, as Blau had called it, was a metal bar, no thicker than his arm, leading down into the water at an angle until it could not be seen any more. It was at the bottom of a tube only made of air and water, with no visible divider. Spock ran a hand from the water into the tube. It felt as if he ran it through a membrane that closed at once after he broke it. He noticed that his hand was almost dry. 'Have you ever seen anything like this?' he asked, looking up at Blau.

'No, never.' She shook herself visibly. 'This is so very strange.' He nearly smiled. No-one could know everything, and he had seen a lot. He had never met Dariis. There had been plans to send him to Driin as a diplomat, but in the end it hadn't happened. Still, he had prepared, and he had asked McCoy to do the same back then. It had been after Jim's death, and he had felt a need to take someone familiar with him. He had long left behind his fears of appearing too human, so he had given in and asked his old friend to follow, explaining that having a doctor with him could never do any harm.

'I agree that it is very unusual, Blau. Doherty! Any signs of the humans?' Doherty's reply call sounded somewhat hollow, given that he was not far away. That, too, was typical for the planet.

'Signs of where they were.' Spock walked in his direction at a brisk pace, Blau closely behind. 'The ground is flattened here, and there must have been walls of some sort surrounding the rectangular fields on it. They were very thorough about removing their traces.'

'Perhaps they took stuff down to have materials underwater,' Blau suggested.

'I deem it safe to presume they did,' Spock said.

'There's another descent!' the young woman said suddenly. 'To the human settlement, probably. The readings are the same as before.' Spock shook his head.

'We cannot …' A splashing sound to their left interrupted him, and they all spun around. From the water, a creature had risen, maybe a little smaller than an average human, with glistening dark skin and small, unblinking eyes. Doherty had drawn his phaser at once, but Spock put his arm before the other man to stop him. 'No,' he said sharply. He took a step forward and looked at the being with deep curiosity. 'You are a Darii.' He said that for the others' benefit more than anything, taking great care not to mispronounce the name they had for themselves. A gurgling noise emerged from the being. 'Are we unwelcome?' The species was very polite, and his question the customary greeting for any visitors that came uninvited.

'You may remain,' the water dweller offered the formulaic answer. 'You are not human.' The language was slightly sluggish, but then again, if what it had produced before was its native tongue, that was not really surprising.

'No, I am Vulcan.'

'We have not had Vulcans calling. You come from the Federation.'

'Indeed.' He shot a glance at Blau, who stopped gaping at the being and cleared her throat.

'If you're one of the Dariis,' she said, not quite producing the right r-sound, 'can you tell us where the human settlers went?'

'Down, to the place we had prepared. They live there.'

'Neither they nor your people were responding to our messages,' Spock told the Darii. He interpreted the following gurgle as a sigh.

'No. Volcanic activity destroyed our technological centre, including both our communication centres. We have to rebuild. The humans help, but we only progress so fast. You have superior knowledge. We ask for your assistance.'

'I have to discuss what help can be offered with Starfleet command,' Spock said. 'Is the descent safe?'

'We can travel to the city. The help we seek from you is not merely technological in nature. We need medical supplies as well.'

'Understood. We will be back shortly.'

'My name is Imral. I will await you near the descent. I hope you come to bring news from the Federation regarding our joining.'

'We hoped to discuss that matter with you.'

'Are you the Captain of the vessel that brought you?'

'I am first officer Spock.'

'We wish to speak with the Captain. I am certain you understand that we prefer to address the highest authority available.' Spock nodded curtly and opened his communicator.

'Spock to Covenant. Three to beam up.' Before he re-arrived on the Covenant, he saw the Darii slip back into the water.

ϡ

Leonard sat in the observation lounge, listening to Blau with a mixture of appreciation and pity. The rest – Jim, T'Kray, Doherty, Zh'rane, and their chief engineer Blanik – seemed impressed, but then neither of them had been out there as long as he and Spock had. He exchanged a glance with the Vulcan. 'You want to go first?' he asked him when Blau finished.

'Very well.' Spock folded his hands and placed them neatly on the table. 'First, in any contact with the Dariis, I suggest you refer to them as water dwellers. They do not mind if you mispronounce their given names, but they do not like it where their name as a people is concerned. Doctor McCoy and I once had plans to travel here, so we took the time to study what we could of their customs. I understand their wish to speak with you directly, Captain, and I believe you should agree, but I suggest that the doctor and I follow you to the planet.' Jim considered for a moment.

'No. You've got to stay here. We don't know when we'll encounter the ship bringing the cadets. It's bad enough if I'm not there, but if the first officer remains on the sip he can explain why I have to be away. Doctor, you come down with me.'

'Yes, sir.'

'Do we need security?' Spock shook his head.

'I do not believe so. The Dariis are extremely peaceful. They never had any war among themselves. What they seek is protection. Their planet is rich in resources, and they are willing to offer them to us. However, they do not want to be invaded. The increased contact with space vessels will draw the attention of less benevolent visitors. That is why they wish to be a part of the Federation, and it is also why twenty years ago, there were already plans to accept their request. They were then challenged to find a way to be able to survive outside the water. That way they can send ambassadors and if they feel like it students to Starfleet Academy. I do not believe that will happen, however, given their non-militant nature.'

'And now they have that technology, we lost contact. A coincidence?'

'In this case, I am tempted to believe so. According to Imral, a natural disaster cut them off from us momentarily.'

'You say they want medical help. Doctor, can you help them if they need it?'

'Yes, Captain, but I don't think they want it for themselves. They have their own doctors, and they're not the worst there are. It's not like we're dealing with a Stone Age people. They knew that people were travelling through space long before they had any contact with us. The water is rich in iron, and they use that to their advantage to receive signals from a very great distance.'

'That is how they were found,' Spock supplied. 'A passing vessel noticed someone was scanning them and reading their transmissions.' Leonard nodded.

'Indeed. Something I want to add is that they're a hermaphroditic species. There's no male or female, they're all both. You might insult them by a saying he or she. Use the generic they. But by no means call them it. That would really hurt them.'

'Touchy, are they?' Jim asked, and Bones frowned at him.

'Just how touchy would you be if someone spoke of you as it?' Jim cringed. 'See? Just be careful. They're not aggressive, but there's just no reason to insult them if it can be avoided.'

'Do you know anything about that descent? Or could we just ask them for the coordinates of the human settlement and beam down.' He frowned. 'Speaking of that, how could they build a human settlement underwater?'

'I have a very strong suspicion how, but I may even be wrong. As I said, rich planet. They can certainly build a safe structure. But that's likely not how they did it.' Jim blinked.

'A bit less cryptic, Bones, if you don't mind.'

'Not my are of expertise. Spock, would you mind rescuing me here?'

'Are you in any danger?' Leonard turned his eyes to the ceiling.

'Can you just cut out your ridiculous Vulcan literality for a second and tell him about the damn bacteria?' he growled at the Vulcan. Blau looked slightly alarmed at Leonard's temper, T'Kray was half smiling, and he broke into laughter despite himself. 'Don't worry, Lieutenant Commander, we're not fighting.'

'Indeed. If they were fighting you'd want to hide under the table,' Jim said gently. 'So?' With a glance at Leonard, Spock continued to speak.

'What the good doctor is trying to say, is that the city will likely not be a building. He assumes that there is a metal mesh above it, heated like the bars of the descent.' Blau frowned and he looked at her. 'Yes?'

'Did … Excuse me, but did you just read his mind? How can you know what he thinks?'

'I cannot read anyone's mind without touching.' Leonard decided not to comment on that, but his expression must have shown that he almost had. T'Kray fixed her eyes on his.

_Communication through a bond is not mind-reading,_ he heard her voice inside his head._ It is a conscious transmission of thoughts. The reading mind is the passive one._

'And I would not do it without permission,' Spock continued. 'Nor do I wish to have unnecessary contact with his mind. The lack of organisation is disconcerting.'

'Keep going and I'll be disconcerting indeed,' Leonard said quietly but with a slight smile playing on his lips. Jim raised his hands.

'Save it for later, gentlemen. Spock, please continue.'

'The doctor and I have known each other for such a long time it is often simple to guess his thoughts, Lieutenant Commander Blau. In this case, I merely relied on his ability to make a logical deduction. He knows as much about the Dariis as I do, and about their planet. He knows their biology more precisely than I do, and I know their technology and the flora and fauna of Driin and how it is used.

'The descent is not a technological construct, and neither is the city, I believe. There is a bacteria in the water. Our name for it is vibacter aquaticus. If they settle on a surface they spread until they cover it completely. These cultures are very cohesive, and they are repelled by heat.' Blau's eyes went wide with comprehension. 'When heat is conducted through a metal bar with this bacteria on it, they try to move away, thereby creating a tunnel. The metal bars have pods that travel up and down by electricity. My assumption is, that this is how the city is protected. Another advantage is that the waste product of the bacteria is oxygen. Excess carbon dioxide can escape through the descent, and I think there will be an additional ventilation system utilising the bacteria.'

'All that sounds a bit feeble,' Jim said.

'The volcanic activity of the planet is restricted to a few places. The Dariis settle near it to harvest heat and certain other goods, and they can flee quickly. I assume that they erected the human settlement out of harm's way.' Jim nodded. 'To answer your other question, transporting through the water is theoretically possible, but unwise. The water has various constituents that would make any attempt to beam to or from a specific place hazardous at best.'

'Very well. Then you will join me on the planet, Doctor. Spock, you have the conn. Can we communicate through the water?'

'Again, theoretically, yes. As soon as the Dariis have reconstructed their devices for communication, we can. Tuning a communicator to transmit through the water may be possible, but painstaking work. There are easier methods available.' Jim grinned at that.

'Understood. The meeting is closed. Thank you. T'Kray, Bones, if you have a moment.' Leonard waited, and saw Spock do the same while the rest of them the door had closed, Jim took a deep breath.

'We can communicate, can't we? Is that what you were saying?' Spock smiled minutely.

'Yes, Jim. Distance has no effect on the bond.' Leonard could see that Jim was still flustered at the idea to be all but cut off from Spock, and he had to admit he felt the same way. T'Kray didn't look too happy, either.

'James, I would like to join you,' she said. 'I have never met a Darii, even though I knew that they exist.'

'I understand your interest in them, but you, too, I need here. Someone has to have an eye on the cadets. I know you're not a nursery worker, but still.' T'Kray smiled vaguely.

'All right. Perhaps before we leave?'

'If we can linger, I promise you that I'll make it happen. Bones, go grab whatever you might want to bring down and meet me in the transporter room. We'll be down there for a while, so make sure you got all you need. Will two hours be enough?' Leonard stared at him.

'What do you think I'll do, dismantle a biobed?' Jim smiled and glanced at Spock.

'I know I'll need a while. We have to say our farewells, too.' Getting what his friend was saying, Leonard reached out and took T'Kray's hand.

'Understood. See you then.'

ϡ

Jim watched them go before turning to Spock. 'Feels strange. To leave you up here, not to go down with you when you go.' Now they were alone, Spock moved closer and placed his hands on Jim's arms.

'You will be able to contact me. At any time.' Jim leaned in, wrapping his arms around the Vulcan's waist.

'I know. But I'll go to sleep alone, I can't smell you or feel you.' Gentle fingers were twined into his hair, and he looked up. 'I mean … I know it's not for long, but it's the first time since we bonded.' Spock nodded solemnly and leaned down, placing a light kiss on Jim's forehead.

'The reunion will be all the sweeter.'

'Anything I should know?'

'All you need was said, and if you have questions, you know how to ask.' Spock steered Jim back towards the table, arms still wrapped around him. 'I believe we should make good use of the time before you transport down.' Jim sighed.

'I don't need to take much with me. Bones has more to do than me. I just need to be there.'

'They asked for help with technology as well, and I assume that they meant human technology. They may not understand it. Some basic equipment from engineering might be helpful. However,' He leaned back a little, and there was an unmistakable smile on his face, 'that is not what I meant, just as you did not mean it when you gave Leonard two hours.' He lifted Jim onto the table and pressed their foreheads together. 'Computer, engage privacy lock,' he said clearly.

'Privacy lock engaged,' the voice replied coolly. Jim had always thought it reminded him of Christine Chapel. He pushed the thought firmly away. The woman was amongst the many who had died years ago, and he had not been able to say farewell.

'Here, Spock? In the observation lounge?' Fingertips danced over Jim's cheeks, the Vulcan's voice barely above a whisper.

'A beautiful place, do you not agree?' Jim closed his eyes, leaning into the touch.

'I do. Wholeheartedly.' He fixed his eyes on his bondmate's. 'Love me, Spock.'

'I believe you are aware that I do.' The gleam in the Vulcan's eyes gave away the humour, and Jim beamed at him.

'You know exactly what I mean.' Spock took a step backwards, breaking the contact.

'I do? I believe I shall require further instructions.' His face was cool and controlled, but laughter was dancing in his eyes, and Jim was the man privileged to see it. He felt warm inside, and happier than he had ever been before, his brush with melancholy chased away.

'That how you want to play this?' Spock merely tilted his head in question. 'Very well. You can start by removing your boots.'

* * *

_((That's about as far as I dare go with the rating *sigh*._

_About the bacteria … I struggled with the concept of an underwater building. I would have to explain ventilation and what not, and it would really make a few things I want to do very very tough. I considered transparent aluminium, but … No._

_Now this idea isn't mine. I've already taken from that particular source before and I will do so again, no doubt, because it's something I've loved for many many years and am very addicted to …_

_There's a series of games I've played at least once a year since I first had them (1997 … That makes it at least 18 times for the first two … Christ), all but the last one of them. That's the Myst series: Myst, Riven, Exile, Revelation, and End of Ages. Uru I never had the patience to play a second time, and End of Ages is the one I like least of them. I liked the realistic graphics in the first four better. So sue me._

_Anyway, the nara crystals of _Earth_ were from Exile. The bacteria (although there they have no name) are from Riven and are used pretty much the same way. I was thinking, damn, in Riven this was so easy … No complicated construct needed, just a little heat. And then I thought, what the hell. If the shoe fits …))_


	3. Some Curious Stranger

_((Following the end of chapter 2, I have an extra chapter rated M. It's called _Tomorrow's Menu Reads Forever_, if you like that kind of thing. :)_

_That chapter heading … is part of the Governess's monologue in Britten's _The Turn of the Screw_. And I know I shouldn't have used that quote here, seeing who the stranger is in the original. So just take it completely out of context.))_

* * *

'Bones?' Leonard jumped.

'Yes … yes, I'm good.' He spun slowly, taking in what he saw. 'You know, I knew what this place is like. But it's still … nothing but ocean and one bit of stone.' Jim smiled at him.

'As long as you don't lose your ability to be awed by what we find out here, you're not leaving us, so I'm glad.' Leonard grinned.

'You still got that, too, or we wouldn't be here in the first place.' Leonard walked to the water and patted it twice. 'Imral, are you here?' The water stirred and out looked a Darii. 'Name's McCoy, and there behind me is Captain Kirk. We'd like to visit your people, if we may.' There was no need to question if they were allowed in the first place: They had been asked to visit. Imral stepped out of the water completely and offered them two purple balls.

'You need a pod. Put one of these on the rail.' Jim looked at the item in his hand.

'All right,' he said. Trying to avoid getting his clothes wet, Jim crouched down and put the small marble in the indented centre of the metal bar reaching out of the water. For a moment, nothing happened, but then the marble vanished with a sucking sound. 'What in the name …' When it became clear that Imral wasn't going to clarify the matter, Leonard stepped in.

'You can't touch the metal because of the electricity. But the marble has enough weight to register, like the pushing of a button. The rail is hollow, the space just large enough for the marbles. They're collected down there, and if you need them, you need to get a bag or whatever it is they carry it in.' Jim scratched his head.

'Losing your marbles gets an entirely new meaning. And here's our … pod.' For all intents and purposes, the thing looked like an excuse of a submarine. 'Do we have to control this thing, Imral?' The Darii gurgled something not quite understandable.

'No,' he said then. 'On this path there is only one way.'

'Good,' Leonard said. 'Well, this is something new.' He sighed. 'I love travelling.' Jim shot him a knowing glance.

'Come on then. I wouldn't want to keep you from having some fun.'

It was a good thing that he wasn't claustrophobic. The pod wasn't precisely large and travelling at a fairly slow pace. Or at least that was how it seemed, given that there wasn't much to watch. 'Look, Bones, to the left. Seems like there is a second path after all.' Staring through one of the circular windows Leonard found another rail leading away from theirs to what had to be an artificial structure.

'I don't think so. That's probably just the middle of the path and they park this pod there. Makes sense, then you don't have to wait until it got up from all the way down. And two can start in opposing directions and evade each other.'

'You think they're sophisticated enough for that?'

'I think that's the sort of thing you shouldn't say down there if you don't want to make yourself really unpopular.' He frowned. 'Look, they don't look remotely human, and to you they may seem like oversized frogs or something, but they're not animals that happen to be able to talk. That's a civilisation down there. Keep that in mind.' Jim nodded slowly.

'They built this … rail and the pod, then? Not the humans?'

'Sure. Their technology needs to be dry as much as ours, seeing how it runs with electricity, at least in part. These pods were probably designed to transport goods.'

'If the goods aren't too large.'

'Well, who's saying there isn't larger pods around?' While the light around them faded slowly, they saw shadows outside their pods. When Leonard looked harder he noticed that the shadows were moving. 'Someone's watching us. Water dwellers or animals, I can't make it out.'

'I've got to admit, I don't know how comfortable I am with this entire situation,' Jim said quietly.

'Scared?'

'Not precisely, just … overwhelmed. I just hope I won't stick my foot in my mouth two minutes into the first real conversation.' Leonard shook his head.

'You won't. I'm not saying you're the born diplomat, but you'll be fine. Just don't question the functionality of their stuff too much and don't marvel at how they got anything other than seaweed at the bottom of their ocean.'

ϡ

Jim was working hard to keep his mouth shut when they stepped out of the pod. Spock and Bones had been right, the surroundings were covered by a mesh of metal high above them. As far as he could see the land was dry, the water above him almost black for lack of light. The whole construct was supported by columns that held sources of light in the shape of large, white crystals. The floor was rock, smoothed but not too much. It seemed that they had landed in the centre of a huge piazza, surrounded by buildings of all imaginable varieties: brick houses, a few wooden shacks, tall buildings painted in different colours, and farther away tall towers that reached almost to the surface of the water. 'That … is just beautiful,' he said at last.

'Thank you, Captain Kirk.' A young woman stood by their pod. She was short and stocky with copper coloured hair. 'On behalf of the Dariis. Imral said you would come. I am Maria Nentwych, acting voice of the council of the seven.' She offered her hand and Jim shook it firmly. 'I don't assume that you know much about the Dariis?'

'I know a bit,' Bones said.

'Don't be so modest. You know quite a lot.' The doctor shrugged.

'A bit. So now what?'

'Now I am afraid I need you to come with me, Captain. One of the council would like to meet you. You doctor … could you visit our Doctor Mermer? He's in the building just there to the left and already waiting for you. I'm sure he'll love to get help.'

'Where will I find you afterwards?' Bones asked. Nentwych pointed at a small brick building across the square.

'That's your quarters. You'll find all you need there, and the Captain will join you later.'

ϡ

Leonard took his time ambling towards the doctor's residence. The piazza looked magnificent. Of course, in a place like this poverty was never an issue. The people who lived here were needed, most of them would be scientists, diplomats, engineers – all in all the same sort of people you found on a starbase or a larger ship. Cooks, of course, would also be here. There was never a place without cooks. And traders. Many traders. That was, after all, why this planet was getting any attention: its resources. Dilithium was probably the most obvious good, but there were more inconspicuous things as well, like certain types of algae that were used in some foods that had been extremely popular a little less than a century ago. Almost every starship had carried a small stock of those, and the Enterprise had been no exception. Food synthesiser never managed to get their particular flavour anywhere near right.

The door to the doctor's building opened, and out came a figure, bent over slightly and holding something very close. He increased his pace and frowned when he heard a sob. 'Hey,' he called. 'Hey, you all right?' The figure stopped and glanced up at him.

His first thought was that she was extremely beautiful. He noticed that this didn't cause any more emotional response in him than it would have in Spock, but it was true all the same. Large green eyes, high cheekbones, small upturned nose … she was pretty as a painting. She was also holding a very small child, less than a week old if he was any judge, and she was crying. 'Hey, what's wrong?'

'He's dying.' Leonard went cold inside at that statement. Without thinking, he reached out and put his hand on her arm.

'Why, what's he got?' She shrugged and wiped over her eyes with the back of one hand.

'Mermer said … he said he's starving because he lost weight.' Leonard looked at the child again. Maybe his estimate of his age had been wrong.

'How old is he?'

'Three days.' Leonard frowned.

'Course he lost weight, every baby does in the first few days.'

'He also says it's going to be stupid because of hypogluc... something.'

'Hypoglycaemia,' Leonard helped out and frowned more deeply than before. 'Wait a moment.' He ran the medical scanner he had brought over the child's body and shook his head. 'What hypoglycaemia? Blood sugar level's perfectly all right.' He folded his arms. 'Anything else?' The young woman seemed a little calmer when she answered.

'I've got an underactive thyroid that will kill him. Although he said his was fine.'

'I'm dying to hear his explanation why your thyroid will do anything to your son.' Anger bubbled at the surface of his mind, and he decided to put up a shield. T'Kray didn't need to feel its reverberation up on the ship. Leonard glared at the door she had just come through. 'Listen, see that brick house back there? That's where I'm staying it seems. You want a second opinion wait for me there. I'm going to take a good hard look at that Mermer.' The woman swallowed.

'You sure he's fine?' Leonard ran the scanner again, before he smiled at the tiny human, stirring slightly in its mothers arms.

'Yeah. I'm sure. I'm a doctor, too.' She offered a slightly watery smile.

'Thank you. So much.'

'Hang on. Why did you go to Mermer?'

'Routine physical.' He nodded.

'I see. Well, just over there, any time. Leonard McCoy.'

'Chrissie Parker. I … thanks again.' He watched her go and approached the door prepared to dress the fool down. He had barely crossed the threshold when a short young man who was almost as broad as he was tall rushed towards him, glaring as if he were his biggest problem ever.

'What do you want? I'm closing for today.' Leonard stared at him for a few seconds.

'To see Doctor Mermer.'

'You found him. Why are you here?' Leonard blinked. He had been announced, according to Nentwych. Considering that, his science uniform should be a giveaway.

'Make an educated guess.' Mermer looked him up and down and judging by his expression found him wanting.

'You want to quit.'

'Quit? Quit where?'

'Well, drinking, obviously.' For a few seconds, Leonard was speechless.

'I think I just misheard you. Would you repeat that for me?'

'You have bags under your eyes, that's very typical for alcoholism.' Leonard put a little more focus on the shield. T'Kray wasn't one to deny having emotions, but ire wasn't among those she found acceptable. Their bond could make her feel what he felt if he didn't stop it, and if there was one bit of this whole telepathy thing he could do well it was shielding.

'I just look like that, always have, always will, more or less,' he growled, his dialect more intense from emotion. 'Are you sure you want to continue?'

'You're thin as a stick, obviously not eating much any more.' Leonard refused to comment on that apart from giving the other man a dismissive once-over, so Mermer continued. 'And your language is slurred, you're probably not quite sober now.' That last was a slight that was too much.

'Aren't you a genius. My language isn't slurred, I'm from Georgia. You call that a dialect. Do you usually make your diagnoses like that?' he asked in a quiet voice that belied his anger. 'Do you even use a scanner or do you just glance at people, pigeon-hole them, and leave them to deal with what you said?'

'But …'

'No, there is no but.' He raised his hands, taking a step backwards, proud that he managed to keep his voice down. 'You know what? I'm coming back when I don't feel like strangling you any more.'

'Your overreaction confirms what I said.' Leonard glared daggers at the young man.

'That may come as a shock now, but I couldn't care less what you think about me. You scared a young mother out of her wits with your nonsense. That's not helping people, it's causing problems that weren't there in the first place. As if you want to make sure you have patients.'

'I know she pulled one kid through before, but …'

'Pulled one through? Do you have any reason to believe she neglects her children?'

'No, but …'

'Was it ill?'

'No, but …'

'Well then you call that raising, not pulling a child through. How many do you have?'

'None.'

'Good. You're way too convinced of yourself for having kids, making it sound as if it's a miracle a child in her care didn't die instantly.' Mermer looked as if he'd been slapped.

'Small children are fragile.'

'Being a baby isn't an illness, Mermer. We've all been little, you know. Nowadays very few kids die, and hers won't be one of them. He was well fed, scanning data as perfect as it comes, she cared, what else do you want?'

'And how would you know how her son is faring?' Leonard pulled himself to his full height and folded his arms in front of him.

'I'm Doctor Leonard McCoy, CMO of the U.S.S. Covenant, and I came here with Captain Kirk, who would have kicked me off his starship, friend or no friend, if I were an addict. We were informed by Imral that people need medical help here. I can see why.' Mermer had gone quickly from a normal complexion through various shades of red. 'Got anything to say to me?'

'I … I am sorry.'

'Save it for Miss Parker.'

'Look, I do need help. Are you … stupid question, but are you the Doctor McCoy and Kirk?' Leonard huffed.

'Yes. Now listen here, I don't know how you think you can treat people, but you've got a lot to learn.'

'I … I'm really a nurse, you know. Everyone here does.' Leonard blinked.

'Do what now?'

'Our doctor went off, you know, and I know more than the rest here. The fish-people can't help humans and …'

'Whoa! They're not fish-people!' Leonard shook his head. 'I really am going to leave now. I have to ask someone a few questions.'

'Look, I didn't request help from a doctor. That were the water dwellers. They need one.'

'I'll find that out elsewhere. Believe it or not, I don't trust you overly much. Sorry.' Still incredulous, Leonard walked back out of the door and across the he entered the brick house, he heard something break.

'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry,' a high voice said. He recognised it at once.

'Miss Parker?'

'Yes … it's me. Doctor, you helped me, and I feel I must help you too.' Her baby in her arms she approached him quickly and leaned in close, her lips right next to his ears. 'Find somewhere else to stay and tell no-one.' He blinked.

'Why would I do that?'

'Don't go anywhere they ask you to.'

'Miss Parker, I've come here because the Dariis requested help from a medic, and Mermer told me it's for them rather than the humans. I can't deny them.'

'You must!' Leonard took her shoulders, hoping to calm her.

'Tell me why.' With a sob, Chrissie Parker turned away and fled from the building. Stunned, Leonard stared after her. 'What in blue blazes is wrong with these people?'

* * *

_((Chrissie Parker's experience has been inspired by a real life event. I wasn't on the receiving end, and the person who was is a lot more resolute than this character here, but what she was told is the same thing exactly.))_


	4. All Things Strange And Bold

_((Chapter heading is … dare I say it? _Turn of the Screw_, again, and given what wonderful things there are in this little miracle I guess it might not be the last. Last time it was the Governess referring to Quint in the quote, this time it's Quint himself. Again, please take this out of context, I really do not wish to transfer any subtext with the quote. So the less you know what I'm saying here the better._

_The size of the settlement is a complete coincidence and has nothing to do with the fact that my district capital has, according to Wikipedia, that exact size. So sue me.))_

* * *

Jim followed Maria Nentwych over the piazza and onwards towards a large building. 'Just how big is this place?' he muttered, more to himself than to her.

'72,23 km²,' she said at once, and Jim stopped abruptly.

'That's a small town!' Nentwych smiled with something that looked like pride.

'Indeed. The Dome, that's not just the actual dome but also the city, was built in less than three months. We use hovercars for greater distances, you can find them at the pod stations.'

'If none are there?'

'You can check in advance. Pod stations are placed strategically so it's not that big of a problem. And emergency services have one of their own.' Jim nodded absently.

'Can you help me pronounce the water dwellers in a hurry?' Nentwych grinned at him.

'Water dwellers? You're saying it fine, really.' Tension lifting slightly, Jim smiled back at the small woman.

'Darii, then.' She grimaced.

'Do you know what a voiced alveolar flap is?' Seeing Jim's dumbstruck expression, she laughed. 'A flapped r, Captain. Just curl your tongue upwards and tap the tip against the al... the upper side of your mouth. Make it sound more like Dadii, but the tongue is further back and it's a faster sound. Only one flap. Don't roll the r.' Jim tried, but somehow that word never came out right. She clapped his shoulder. 'Leave that to linguists and stick with water dwellers.' Jim decided to admit defeat.

'I think that's a good idea. Are you a linguist, then?'

'Indeed I am. There are many Dariis who do not speak Standard. For those I am interpreter and translator. Most of our contacts speak our language, of course, but it's very hard for them, and vice versa. Our vocal tracts aren't made for their sounds, you see.'

'Another question … where did you get all the material to build a city?'

'The ground of the sea is clay, so bricks weren't a problem. This planet has everything you could dream of.'

'Yes. A blessing and a curse.' Nentwych nodded solemnly and led the way into the structure they had been approaching.

'Indeed. And some of the Dariis see it like that. Some do not agree that the Federation is their best option, they want their planet to themselves. But they are few and far between. Also the gentle nature of the Dariis stops them from starting an uprising. They state their opinion, receive a nod of acknowledgement, and the council just plods on as planned.' Jim frowned slightly.

'Do I hear a slight bitterness about that?' She shook herself.

'No, Captain. I'm just unsure if that's a healthy system. The people in any state have the power to become a cathartic corrective, but only if actions may follow words that remain unheard.' Jim thought for a moment, following the woman through corridors and upstairs.

'You know, you are right. But I don't know if we're not making an essential mistake if we transfer our truths to the Dariis. In my experience, alien cultures function very differently, depending on how different the aliens and their ideologies are. Take Vulcans. Vulcans aren't that much different, so we can understand them most of the time, even if we do differ.'

'God forbid you let one hear that.'

'Oh, I have. He didn't like that, but it is true. The Dariis, however … Completely different life conditions, different minds, different technology, and different politics. It's why the Federation doesn't meddle, and that won't change if they enter. They are nice and peaceful, and they've known of space travel for ages, they just don't feel like doing that themselves.' Nentwych halted before a door.

'I must admit, I never thought of it that way. Captain, the meeting is in there.' Like everything else, the room they entered was lit with the same crystals they had outside, but here they were suspended from the ceiling on fine chains. In the middle stood a huge oval table. Apart from that there wasn't much decoration. A Darii sat on one of the chairs and raised a hand in greeting. Jim noticed the webbing between the fingers, and that he wasn't – no! they weren't, he had to be careful – Imral. He also noticed that the face was hidden behind a red veil with an elaborate sign embroidered to it.

'I am glad you came to us, Captain James Kirk. I am of the council of the seven.' They let out a short gurgle Jim interpreted as a chuckle. 'Humans keep asking for names, but my name I cannot offer. I am Five. You understand, our identities aren't known to the people.'

'What? They don't know who their leaders are?'

'No, and I do not know who my fellow leaders are.'

'But if someone hears your voice they might recognise you.' He nodded.

'A possibility. Humans are very good at distinguishing sounds. We, fortunately, are not, and our voices do not differ as much as those of your kind do.'

'Then that wasn't just me,' he said. The Darii chuckled and rose to approach the two humans.

'I appreciate that it is you who came. You have no fear of what is different.' Jim smiled.

'I have no reason to. May I ask a question? I don't mean to intrude, I am just curious.' The Darii inclined their head. 'Why … I mean what is the purpose of keeping the council secret?'

'I am not offended, Captain James Kirk. You see, if we do not know who our leaders are, we treat everyone as if they were, because they might be.'

'Oh. Yes, I see the point.' The Darii nodded before turning to Nentwych.

'Professor Maria Nentwych, you will honour us with your presence?' She nodded.

'If you allow it, Five.'

'Most certainly.'

ϡ

'I believe … Is there a chance that I can speak to this with your Captain in the near future?' Spock very nearly shook his head at the woman on the viewscreen.

'I apologise, Captain Varèse. I am aware that we are to receive cadets and …'

'That's just it, though.' She took a deep breath. 'Any chance we can take this from the bridge to your quarters?' Spock raised one eyebrow.

'As you wish. Lieutenant Zh'Rane, put the conversation through.' He heard her reply the moment he walked into the lift. Spock couldn't help wondering why discussing the cadets was not possible in a public place. Such a request was not usually a good sign. 'Is this preferable, Captain?' he asked once he opened the channel from his own computer.

'Yes. Very much. It is only a minor thing, but I believe it is best I am truthful. Captain Kirk is a man who knows how to call in a favour. Well, I'm quite good at that myself, and there are a few high ranking people who owe me favours.' Spock allowed himself a tiny change in his expression. To Jim it would scream amusement, but this woman had never met him before and probably did not notice anything.

'I understand that as the Captain of a cargo vessel you can transport anyone or anything easily from one place to the next, even if it is not of high priority or if it would normally involve an unseemly amount of red tape.'

'Yes. And you gave me an idea.'

'I did?'

'All of you. The foreign rank evaluation you took. You know, such stories travel like wildfire. And here I found myself with a young man on my hands with brains for three, knowledge that would put some ensigns to shame, but no background.'

'So you claimed you had evaluated a rank he never had in the first place and want to bring him to us as a cadet. With your rank you are perfectly entitled to do that.' Captain Varèse turned her eyes downwards.

'Yes. If you're completely averse to that, I'll bring him back to Earth for training. Or if you believe your Captain will be averse to that.' Knowing Jim Kirk, he would probably laugh his head off at Varèse's story. Spock saw the potential for trouble.

'It depends. Does he have official paper signing him of the program?'

'He has all the papers he needs, and I promise you that he'll be more helpful than the other three together. And the papers, by the way, are legitimate, in case you were worrying they were forged. The only problem might be if someone looks too closely. It wasn't a full year.' Spock nodded slowly. It had not been a year for them either on the Cristóbal de Morales space station, but their ranks had not been foreign. Or non-existent, for that matter.

'I have to admit that I was concerned about their genuineness.' Spock pressed his lips together. It was his decision, and he knew he would advise Jim to say no. And Jim … wouldn't hold against him whatever he decided. If there was one thing that was absolutely certain it was Jim's trust in him. 'Has the young man even seen the inside of Starfleet Academy?'

'No, sir. But with a foreign rank evaluation he doesn't have to. He knows enough, though, reads all the time, studies hard, and he knew a lot before he got on my ship.' Spock nodded. It was a risk he really did not want to take. So many things could go wrong on a spaceship, one slip could cost lives. The boy should just go back to Earth and do things regularly.

'Very well. Captain, prepare to beam the cadets to the Covenant.' He hesitated. 'All of them,' he added, surprising himself. The woman on the bridge of the other ship smiled hugely.

'Thank you. They will be over in a minute. Varèse out.'

ϡ

T'Kray stood in the transporter room, for once in a proper science uniform. After she had heard that as counsellor she didn't need to wear one, she had gone for something more casual, usually. The sickbay personnel seemed to find her less intimidating that way, even though the reason why eluded her. To her right stood Spock, to her left Doctor Durlan, who substituted for Leonard McCoy in his absence, and at the controls Blanik. She had been slightly concerned a while before when Leonard had shielded, but it hadn't lasted long. She would tell him that this had the contrary effect of what he wanted, even if she appreciated the thought. Not feeling anything from him was more unpleasant that any emotional feedback ever could.

The door opened, and in came a yeoman with a PADD. 'Excuse me … Captain Varèse sent the names of the cadets.' Spock took the PADD from her and dismissed her before glancing at the names briefly. A small frown formed on his forehead and he looked again, eyes fixing one point on the PADD. Slowly, one eyebrow travelled up, his eyes shifted to T'Kray, and he smiled ever so slightly.

'It will be very interesting to meet the cadets,' he said quietly.

'Bridge to transporter,' the soothing voice of Zh'Rane came through.

'Spock here.'

'I have Captain Varèse.'

'If by having her you mean that she has opened a communications channel, put her through.' T'Kray shook her head.

'Don't tease, Spock,' she said softly. Zh'Rane, however was unperturbed.

'Yes, sir, at once.'

'Captain Varèse, this is Spock.'

'Ready to beam our kids over,' Varèse said briskly. T'Kray spun her head and looked at the other Vulcan but remained silent.

'Blanik, energise,' he said. 'What did you think I would say to her?'

'Oh, nothing.' She spoke quietly enough not to be heard in the still open connection. 'I just wonder … You weren't happy about whatever Varèse told you in private, and now you seem positively delighted about something.' The high sound of the transporter came and went, and four young people stood on the platform.

'They have arrived safely, Captain,' Spock said into the connection. 'Welcome aboard.' T'Kray looked at them, two of them hidden behind the others. When they stepped down, however, she saw them all and it hit her that it was lucky she wasn't the one holding the PADD. Large grey eyes settled on her, not quite in sync, and a wide smile formed on the face of the young man.

'Oh someone wake me up,' she breathed quietly before covering her mouth with her hand. Then she recalled where she was and caught herself, tearing her eyes from those burning into hers. She realised it was her turn to introduce herself.

'Lieutenant T'Kray,' she said and found that her voice sounded precisely as it should. That was good, but still, meditation was in order. She had been way too lax about her discipline recently. Allowing herself emotion was one thing, letting it take over another entirely. 'I am the ship's counsellor. I will have a short conversation with all of you before you are assigned your duties.'

'Doctor Catherine Durlan. I'll run a check on you before that.' She smiled vaguely. 'I know you've been checked, but that's standard procedure I'm afraid.' T'Kray glanced towards Spock, but his eyes were on the cadets. To be precise, on one particular cadet.

'Do you have any questions?' he asked them. 'Yes?'

'I have a few projects over on the Tiro. Captain Varèse said I should ask before I bring them.' Unable to help herself, T'Kray stared at that man again. He couldn't be a cadet. There was no way he was a cadet. Spock must have known it would be something like this because he didn't look as if he would question the presence of that particular individual. Spock opened communications.

'Captain Varèse, do you still receive us?'

'I do.'

'Please beam over whatever personal effects the cadets wanted to bring, assuming they are not as large as your cargo.' Varèse laughed.

'Don't worry, it's just bits and pieces and all packed neatly.'

'Bits and pieces,' the young man said quietly as if putting it like that was a personal slight, and this time it was too much. T'Kray smiled at him, almost as broadly as he had before. Spock didn't look too disapproving at her display.

'Very well. I suppose it is best if you go down to sickbay at once. To shorten the waiting time for the young people, I suggest you start with the interviews simultaneously to the physical, Lieutenant T'Kray.' She turned her smile to him.

'Thank you, I appreciate this. Very much.' She cleared her throat. 'If you do not mind, Doctor, I would like to commence with Charika.'

ϡ

T'Kray made it to her office, cleared away files that still needed additions and waited, using the short time to steady collect her thoughts. When the door opened and a head bobbed in, she rose, hurried around her desk and stopped well within the personal space of the young man. 'How did you get here?'

'Is by spaceship an adequate answer?' Charika asked with a grin.

'Not really. I mean, Spock took a moment when you carried your stuff off to tell me about Varèse and the evaluation but … Why did you leave Dainam? I wouldn't have thought it possible.' Charika took a seat and put his hands behind his head.

'Well, spur of the moment, pretty much. The Commander of the lot in charge of Dainam asked me how I'd like to go away because he thought I could be useful.'

'I bet.'

'Well, and when the next ship came, I said I wanted to go. You know, I completed my Relocators.' T'Kray's eyes widened.

'No way.'

'Did, though. Not as I wanted, but they can home in on an artificial power source and teleport you near it. Thing is a bit erratic, but it works.'

'Now don't tell me you tried that on yourself.' Charika opened his mouth and closed it. When he spoke, he looked at her like a child that had done something it shouldn't have.

'Someone taught me you can't test dangerous stuff on others.' T'Kray smiled.

'Sounds like something a foolish Vulcan might teach a kid. Seriously, though, you could have died, Charika.'

'Only if I'd done something wrong.'

'I see that whatever Varèse let you do on her ship, it didn't increase your modesty.' She tilted her head. 'It isn't a coincidence that you're here, is it?'

'No. Varèse said I'd be bored on a cargo vessel, and she thought that James might … Captain Kirk I should say. It's difficult to get rid of that first names habit, you know. Anyway, she thought he might not mind too much that she tweaked regulations.'

'I'm sure he won't mind. He's currently not here, neither is Leonard. They're on Driin.'

'Ah, water dwellers.' T'Kray raised her eyebrows. 'Well, I had a lot of time to read. Basically I always read ahead about the places we were going. And now we were going here.' He leaned forward. 'So it's Leonard now. Last I saw you it was Doctor McCoy.'

'Tempora mutantur,' T'Kray told him, not even trying to stop an expression that would speak volumes for Charika.

'Well, I for one am glad. I thought you'd never notice how he looks at you.'

'Now don't get cheeky with me, kid, I can still wrestle you down.' He snorted.

'With your little finger at that.' The door opened and revealed the second cadet.

'Well, Charika, I think you'd better move over to the Doctor. I'll see you around.' Charika saluted, and even though he was like family to her, she knew he meant it.

'Yes, T'Kray. Thanks.' Stunned, she watched him go, trying to work out for what.

* * *

_((If you read _Air_, you already know Charika. I had planned to bring him back for this for no other particular reason than that I wanted to, but now I think I have an actual use for him. Yay!_

_For those who don't know him: He was raised by T'Kray after being abandoned by his parents because they considered him a liability due to a genetic disorder. The society Charika grew up in almost exclusively used first names to address anyone, which is what he's referring to.))_


	5. Easy to Take

_((Another Quintism from _The Turn of the Screw_. Only he's referring to a letter. Alas. Again, no context, just the words. Obsessed? Who, me?))_

* * *

Spock sat on the floor, legs crossed, eyes closed. With every breath he became more aware of the smell of the incense, less aware of the room that would be there when he opened his eyes. He took inventory. Not of anything that could be grasped, but of his thoughts. There was longing. This longing could not be fulfilled at this time, so he filed it away. There was surprise about the presence of Charika, but that was already at the edge of his mind so he paid it no further attention. There was the weight of responsibility, something he always felt when he was temporarily in command. In his experience, he performed better if he did not file that away. He had done it the first time he had found himself in charge and had very nearly caused a disaster. No, he corrected himself, he had caused a disaster. Death always was. He had grown since then. The fact that he thought of it that way spoke for itself. What he now saw as growth would have been categorised as a weakness then. For a moment he contemplated the memory before he filed it back to where it belonged: a different life, in his case, literally.

When he deemed himself prepared, Spock opened the bond he shared with Jim wide. One reason was to let him know what had happened here in his absence without much effort. Like this, he merely had to think of something to communicate it, and his mind was ordered enough to do that in a few seconds time. Another reason was to let the human feel that he was with him. If he was honest, Spock had to admit that he, too, desired the reassurance. He had always thought sharing a bed with someone could only lead to sleeping problems, but now he found the contrary was true. It did not seem very logical, but the fact remained that he had been unable to sleep so far because when he was alone in their room he could not ignore how much he missed the human. The wave of warmth and love from the other end of the bond was almost overwhelming. Spock struggled to withdraw from it when he found he could no longer hold his composure, struggled to find back into the here and now and perhaps manage to rest. He might not need as much sleep as a human, but some would be helpful.

The soft beep of the computer had the grace to wait until he opened his eyes and ended the meditation. Not caring that he was wearing a traditional Vulcan robe rather than his uniform, he answered the call. 'Spock here.'

'We are back in orbit around Driin. Still no response to our attempts to communicate.' Blau had the bridge for this shift, and she was so correct she might be a Vulcan.

'Thank you, Lieutenant Commander. If anything unusual should happen, please contact me again.' Which meant, do not contact me to tell me things are as they should be. Blau looked as if she had taken the hint.

'Understood, sir.'

'Blau.'

'Yes?'

'Keep trying.'

'Yes, sir. Of course.'

ϡ

Jim found Bones in their abode for the time, busying himself with organising shelves that probably hadn't needed any organising in the first place. The insane picture of his friend in a flowery apron struck Jim. 'Hello, honey, is dinner ready yet?' he asked, and Bones turned to stare at him.

'If you cook it, it will be. And if you ever call me honey again, I'll throw something heavy at you. And I'll tell Spock.' Jim smiled and let himself fall into a chair.

'Charika is back.' Bones nodded, then he stared.

'What do you mean, he's back?'

'He's one of the cadets. Long story.'

'How do you know, communications functional again?'

'Only the very direct kind. Spock has impeccable timing. I was only just out of the building.' Reluctantly, Jim got back up and started to look what food the place offered. 'Imagine a diplomatic discussion and suddenly I zone out and just sit there for a couple of minutes.'

'Nothing that hasn't happened before then,' Bones growled, and for once there wasn't a trace of humour in his voice or his face. Jim was serious at once, approached his oldest friend and spun him around to face him.

'Hey, what's wrong, Bones? You seem a bit liverish.' For a moment it looked as if he'd just made it worse, but then the doctor's lips twitched and a slow smile appeared. 'Sit down. No, come on, put that away and talk to me. What happened?'

'Your choice of words, for one thing. That idiot Mermer for another.' Jim raised both eyebrows. Usually, Bones had the utmost respect for his colleagues.

'What did he do?'

'All but told a young girl she was killing her child. And she wasn't. And told me I'm a drinker.'

'And that bugs you?' Bones flared.

'Well, sure! Do you have any idea how much harm that sort of thing can cause? Imagine she decided to stuff endless amounts of sugar into the poor kid because of his one-glance-diagnosis?'

'Okay, that I understand,' Jim said. 'And the other thing?' Bones shrugged.

'Caught me on the wrong foot is all.' Jim frowned slightly.

'I notice that, but why, Bones? There's no need, and you know that. You're not the type of guy to succumb to an addiction. There's that index … Filam index. I remember that someone had hammered into my head I always had to look at that before appointing anyone because if it's above ten they'll start using some substance or other within a certain amount of time.'

'That's complete nonsense. There's a reason why we always called it the flimflam index at the academy. You can determine a potential predisposition with genetics and a look at family history and that questionnaire. But you can't predict future addictions. I've known people with a Filam index as high as 63 that never threatened to be addicted to anything.'

'No. But even if you can't predict it for sure, your result was two. Mine, by the way, was seven. Spock's five.' Bones's eyes widened.

'What, according to that thing he's more likely to get addicted to something than me? As if I needed confirmation that it's nonsense.'

'It's all practically nothing. What was the upper limit for captaincy? Twenty?'

'Yes, unless the higher index was ignored because a medic with an actual mind put his or her foot down. And anyway it's not because of me I'm … liverish, as you chose to put it. Believe it or not, I do have some self-confidence.' Jim still kept looking, and Bones's shoulders slumped slightly. 'What shall I say … Med student, brilliant kid, was expelled because of her problem. For ages they'd tried to help her, but she said she didn't need it. Wouldn't listen to anyone, not to the people at the academy, not to me, although God knows I tried so hard to get through to her. Died a week later of alcohol poisoning, and it wasn't an accident.' He shook his head. 'I saw myself in that kid. Lost her father to an incurable disease, following his footsteps to study medicine and ended up in Starfleet academy because all she wanted was get away from a messed up relationship. All the time I thought, this could have been me, I could so easily have gone down that road if I'd taken one wrong turn.' He looked up at Jim. 'It's why I finally did retire, you know. Couldn't get it out of my head. Ridiculous, don't you think?' Jim sighed.

'No. No, Bones, it's not ridiculous. It's very typical for you. It's why you, good man, are a great doctor. It's why you're the best friend anyone could ask for. You always care, and you can't stop yourself.' He shook his head. 'But don't let that Mermer person get to you. You're better than that.' Bones clapped his hands to his knees and stood.

'You're right. Which is why I used the time to investigate why I'm even here. Not for the humans, Mermer hinted that and I could confirm it. Apparently they got a few sick Darii and aren't sure how to help them. I'd feel honoured if it weren't so clear they're just grasping at straws. I'm going to go there tomorrow. By pod, no less.' Jim smiled.

'Seems we'll both spend little time in this hut of ours. I'm going to be brought to the former communications centre. It's been reconstructed, just a few test runs and they asked me to join them. Mostly to satisfy my curiosity, I'd guess.' Bones smiled at him, and it looked real.

'I agree. They don't need you. Sorry, Jim, no offence.' Jim raised his hands.

'None taken. Now can we get us something to eat or do we have to go hunting first?'

ϡ

Jim had already left when Leonard got ready for his departure the next day. He smiled to himself, knowing his friend would return full of enthusiasm for whatever he had learned from the Dariis. He had been very impressed by the council member, had reported that he, too, had said some were not at all in favour of joining the Federation, but that the council agreed and didn't think the concerns of the few dissenters were justified. Leonard had to admit that he understood them. The very peaceful peoples were often sceptical of them.

Leonard's thoughts travelled to Charika. He remembered very vividly how hard he had fought for the young man's life. It wasn't something he had any desire to ponder. _Lenkam._ The contact was tentative, careful.

'Yes?' he said, then realised that wouldn't work. _I'm listening, ashayam._ He had to close his eyes to communicate. It was a purely psychological thing, and he knew it. It was no more difficult when T'Kray was just before him. Except that in more intimate situations he didn't have to do anything to communicate actively because then simply everything he thought and felt was transmitted.

_I realise you are not currently working on something._ Oh, he could just see T'Kray's face before his mind's eye as she said that to him. He smiled.

_Preparing to get there. You all right? Missing me?_

_Very much so. Len, I must ask you to do something. Or not to do something. _Unable to focus on whatever packing he was trying to do, Leonard stopped going through his equipment.

_Anything._

_Don't shield. I know you wanted to protect me from your … anger or pain, but that's just it. I don't know which. I was concerned. All I knew that you were feeling something you tried to protect me from._ Leonard felt instantly guilty.

_That's so not what I wanted! I won't do it again. Promise._ The next answer wasn't words, more like a caress of the mind, and the contact dissolved. Smiling, he slipped the small medical scanner into a pocket. Movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention, and he turned. No-one here locked doors, so the man had obviously just entered. He must have ducked to avoid hitting the doorframe. 'Are you McCoy?' He blinked at the tall figure.

'Yes. Can I help you?' Fear settled somewhere in the back of his mind. The man's expression wasn't aggressive per se, but cold … so very cold.

'You will be very helpful.' Slowly the towering figure approached until Leonard stood with his back against the wall.

'You … you'll bring me to the Dariis, then?' His voice was steady enough, his jaw set, and his eyes narrowed to slits. The huge man was unimpressed. He let out a loud guffaw.

'Yes, I'll bring you to a Darii all right.' A huge hand closed around his upper arm, hard enough to bruise. Leonard refused to voice his discomfort.

'I don't know about you, but if I need someone's help, I usually treat them a little less disrespectfully.'

'Want me to lick your boots, Federation scum?'

'I … what?' Leonard tried to struggle against the vicelike grip on his arm. The man was dragging him out and towards a hovercar. 'Oh, you've got to be kidding me. How cheesy is that? Let me go, brainless hulk!' A voice in the back of his head told him that his choice of words was unwise, and it proved to be true. The man hoisted him up and, without any effort, slammed him against the hovercar. Leonard tried to protect his head from the impact with the hard metal, but he was nowhere near fast enough. The world went dark.

ϡ

Bridge duty was compulsory for T'Kray. Show her presence, be there for whoever sat in that chair in the centre. If that individual was Spock, she wasn't so much counsellor as someone he could address more easily than say, the Tellarite. She enjoyed this. Listening to the constant buzz of small sounds from the computer, no threat anywhere near … After her meditation, she found it easy to sit here and let her mind go through a mental to-do list she would get back at later.

The change came in the blink of an eye. It wasn't violent or painful. But one moment something rooted in her very soul was there, and the next it wasn't.

T'Kray went cold all over, felt the blood drain from her face. The room around her was spinning. 'Rai. Sanu rai.' Spock spun and rushed to her side. He spoke to her, but nothing came through the rush of loss. An endless stream of Vulcan came from her, muttered and scared professions to a mind no longer there inside hers. Sudden physical pain drifted through the haze in her mind, and she realised she wasn't on the bridge any more. Spock must have dragged or carried her into the lift because she couldn't have walked. He had also slapped her. Good. He was going to do so again, but she caught his hand. 'Kroykah,' she said sharply. He nodded.

'What happened?' he asked. She felt despair welling up inside her. T'Kray raised one hand to silence Spock and took a few deep breaths, gathering her strength.

'Leonard. It's Leonard,' she said at last.

'What happened?' T'Kray swallowed.

'I do not know. I cannot sense him.'

'Is he dead?' T'Kray noticed that Spock was still supporting her. 'Is Leonard dead, T'Kray?'

'I …' She faltered. She desperately wanted to cling to the hope that this was not what it felt like, but she had to face reality. 'Yes,' she said firmly.

'Are you certain?' Spock swallowed. 'Are you certain that this is not simply a very strong shield he had to put up for whatever reason? Then, too, you would feel bereft.'

'I just asked him not to shield.'

'Perhaps he had to. T'Kray, I will accompany you to your quarters, you have to find out.' Only now he re-activated the lift he must have stopped in mid-travel. His voice was very quiet when he continued. 'He is my friend as well. I hope your first impression is wrong.' Without resistance, T'Kray let herself be steered to her room. Once there, she dropped to the floor, trying to focus enough to find out if he was truly gone.

ϡ

Jim watched the Darii work with amazement. This one looked like a female, but he knew that wasn't the case. He still had to force his mind not to think of them that way. If he thought like that, he would say it wrong. 'Do you allow me to take your communicator?' the Darii asked. He smiled.

'Sure.' The water dwellers had offered to calibrate his device so it could channel their centre's power to communicate with the Covenant. He would merely have to sync Bones's communicator with his own later.

_Jim, can I have a moment of your time?_ With the words in Jim's mind came the distinct notion that something was amiss. He handed his combadge to the Darii and said, 'Ah, I'll be over there for a moment. Communicating, as it were.' The Darii gurgled an assent and didn't question his remark. They never did. If he had told them he was going to tap dance naked and couldn't be disturbed, he might have received the same response.

_Spock, is something wrong?_ he sent back. Confusion echoed through their link before it was filtered by Spock's consciousness.

_I was going to ask you that. Are you in the dome and is Doctor McCoy with you?_

_No, he's got different things to do, and I'm at the new communications centre. Why?_ The answer took much longer than Jim liked. _Spock, what's going on?_

_Captain, please ask someone to go to wherever it is you both stay and look at the place. Contact me as soon as you get there. By then I may be able to tell you more than I could now. Make certain that you are armed at all times and remain alert. I will come down and …_ Now Jim interrupted Spock with a strong mental impulse.

_No, you stay up there and that's an order. I'll get back to you soon as I can, by communicator no less. And I'll … I'll look after myself. That's a promise._

* * *

_((I feel evil. I really do._

_T'Kray's Vulcan means nothing more than, 'No. Please no.' I think everyone knows kroykah. If you don't go watch _Amok Time_. Spock slapping her seems a vile thing to do, but I was thinking of the healing trance. I guess a Vulcan lost within themselves in one way or another needs that kind of wakeup call when all else fails._

_That Filam Index doesn't exist, in case you were wondering.))_


	6. You Little Unhappy Thing

_((For the record: I've written the two previous chapter in one day and this one partly yesterday, partly today. Don't expect that to stay that way, I usually don't have such an insane amount of time on my hands. I do have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday – i.e. tomorrow – (no, nothing serious) which shouldn't take too long, so there's hope I'll get something done on that day._

_That chapter heading almost became _A Naughty Boy in Adversity_, but I resisted the temptation. Maybe later. Either way, it's another _Turn of the Screw_ quote, this time from the Governess. No, don't ask.))_

* * *

The quiet and semi-darkness of T'Kray's quarters helped her think. She took a few steadying breaths, let the tip of her tongue lie against her alveolar ridge, and kept her eyes closed. Afraid of what she would find, T'Kray listened into herself for any sign of another presence, of the sweet being that had pledged his life to her. She found only silence. Ignoring the dread that rose inside her, she went deeper. If Spock was right and Leonard was shielding fiercely she might not sense him. But in that case, she would find the shield.

The first thing T'Kray noticed was that their bond was still there. Relief wrapped around her like a blanket. He was alive. Whatever this was, he was alive. But she didn't find a shield. She found no response to her attempts to make contact, only a very small presence, just enough to assure her he was alive, much less than when he was sleeping. Slowly, she brought herself out of her trancelike state. Spock was still sitting there, waiting patiently. 'He's alive but I believe in a deep unconsciousness,' she told him. 'It came extremely suddenly. I wonder why or how.'

'I contacted Jim. He is not with him, and I decided not to inform him of what happened. I merely asked him to be very cautious and not to go anywhere unarmed.'

'Good.' She took another deep breath. 'Permission to return to duty.' Spock frowned at her.

'T'Kray …' She shook her head.

'Listen, this is bad. But … he lives. And I need something to do. If you put me into sickbay now where there's absolutely nothing going on except for Len not being there, you don't do me a favour.' She lowered her voice. 'I lost my first bondmate, Spock. If I lose Leonard, I don't know what that will do to me.' Spock's eyes holding hers were full of compassion.

'I cannot even imagine what you are experiencing, T'Kray. If it is any comfort, I have come to understand that no situation is truly desperate if you have the right people to solve it. Jim will not stand by and watch his friend be harmed.'

'He's not even there, you said.' She really wanted to believe that this would end well, but right now that was difficult.

'No, he is not there at the moment and he is not in the Dome. Once he is safely back, I shall inform him of Leonard's unconsciousness. I did tell him to ask for someone to look into their resting place and see if all is safe. If he had an accident while he was there, Leonard will be found. If he was attacked, we will find that out, too. And whichever it is, he will have help. Whatever doctors they have down there, or Jim.' Spock glanced at her as though sizing her up. 'Are you certain you wish to return to the bridge?' T'Kray rose to her feet, tugged down the tunic she was wearing and looked at him with determination.

'I am still a Vulcan, Spock. I know the disciplines. I can function.'

'I did not question your ability to function. I questioned your willingness to prove it.'

'Yes, Spock. I want to.' He offered a curt nod.

'Commendable, Lieutenant.'

ϡ

Jim wasn't frightened easily, but from the contact with Spock he knew something must be terribly wrong. The Vulcan was very protective of all living things, so his suggestion to arm himself spoke volumes. And the stubborn silence of the bond now meant that he was actively not transmitting … anything. To Jim, that spelled emotional turmoil he had to get under control, and seeing how long this silence lasted, that must be quite some turmoil. Jim stepped from the pod, absently bade the water dweller that had accompanied him farewell and made his way to the brick house.

Nothing seemed amiss inside at first glance. Jim looked around. It was late and he wondered when Bones would be back. He knew that the doctor would work through the night if he had to, but something in the way Spock had enquired after him made the silence of their residence seem oppressive and ominous. He sat down and banged his fist on the combadge. 'Kirk to Covenant.'

'We read you, Captain,' a voice he couldn't pinpoint said.

'I'd like to speak to Mr Spock.'

'At once, sir.' For a while he heard nothing, then Spock answered.

'My apologies for the delay, Captain, but I prefer to have this particular conversation away from the bridge.'

'So. I'm back home. What got you so edgy?'

'Is Doctor McCoy with you?' Spock asked again.

'No, he's not here yet. And frankly, I didn't expect him to. He'll come back when he's done, and we both know he's always thorough.' Again, the silence lasted a moment too long.

'He is not coming, Captain.' Jim waited for the Vulcan to continue, but it didn't seem like anything would follow that statement.

'Spock don't make me worm everything out of you. What do you mean, he isn't coming?'

'Doctor McCoy is unconscious and may be in grave danger. T'Kray can hardly sense that he is alive at all. We had … hoped that he had an accident near your place and was found and tended to. Your ignorance of his whereabouts indicates that this is not the case.' Jim listened, and with every word his fears were confirmed. 'Captain, you should return to the ship and send a search party.' Jim swallowed.

'I'm not leaving, not before I find him.'

'I did not expect you to.'

'You had to say it, I know. Spock … any threats up there down your end?'

'Negative Captain.'

'Good. Stand by, I've got an idea.' Jim hurried out of the building, across the piazza, and without knocking he stormed into Doctor Mermer's house. No-one was on the ground-floor, so Jim barged up the stairs and into the first room. A man of impressive girth sat eating something that looked like half a cow. 'Are you Doctor Mermer?' Jim asked. The individual lowered his fork and stared at him. 'Answer me!'

'I … I'm Mermer. I'm not a doctor, not really, but there's one just across.' Jim deflated.

'I had hoped … I had hoped you found him. He's missing and apparently unconscious.' Mermer blinked.

'No. I haven't got him here, nor was I told he had passed out.' Jim rushed to the other man and placed both hands on the armrests of the chair, their faces inches apart.

'He didn't pass out the way you are thinking. Something must have happened to him.' Mermer blanched.

'Look, sir, I don't know where he is. If I hear anything I'll tell you. You're over there in the same building?' Jim nodded and pulled back, feeling suddenly very much alone. Without another word he left.

'Spock … are you still there?'

'Yes, Jim.' The use of his first name told him that his dismay was very clearly audible.

'I'm going to … hang on, there's someone at our door.'

'Be careful.'

'I'm caution personified, don't you know that? Don't badger me right now.' He closed his eyes. 'I'm … God, I'm sorry.'

'No need. Do what you must.' There was a moment of silence. 'But come back to me,' the Vulcan added in a very quiet voice. Jim swallowed past the lump in his throat.

'I have every intention to. Look, I'll contact you again, maybe that woman knows what's going on.' He ran across the square and skidded to a halt beside the figure that kept knocking on the door. 'You looking for me? Have you seen anything?' She swallowed, looked left and right and shook her head. He had the impression that she was a little out of breath. Jim lowered his voice to barely above a whisper. 'Can't you talk here? Better inside?' Without waiting for an answer, he led the way. The woman moved into the darkest corner she could find.

'I've got to be quick, I don't have much time. You must be James Kirk.' He nodded quickly.

'Yes, yes that's me. Where's Doctor McCoy, do you know?'

'No, not where he is. But he's probably alive. They need him.' Jim had to force himself to maintain his calm.

'Who needs him? For what?'

'As a doctor. But mostly as leverage.' Jim felt the little hairs on his arms rise. Not to interrupt the reluctant woman was difficult, but he feared that she would leave if he pushed too hard. 'I'm Chrissie Parker. He helped me. That … that's why I'm here.' Tears were welling in her eyes. 'I … we hoped … we had plans to make sure Driin remains autonomous.'

'Who is we?' Jim did ask now. He just couldn't help it.

'Maria Nentwych. The second council member … the green one. Many more.'

'Is this a conspiracy, Miss Parker?' For the first time, she looked into his eyes and just once, she nodded. Jim realised that this woman had put herself in grave danger by talking to him. 'What else do you know?'

'Not much. Only that … I started to think there was something more. It's not like the Dariis. And the humans … some of them just don't seem … I would think they are drugged. And … and I …' Jim bit his tongue, waiting for her to continue. Her voice was barely a whisper, her breath quick and shallow – noticeably more so than before. 'I'm a chemist. There's serious problems, but I can't say more. No time. They caused them, I believe. Knowingly. And to silence me they took me, told me they'd kill my kids if I don't help. If I spill.' Jim took a deep breath and reached out to grab her shoulders.

'Go home, grab your children, and return here. Take a pod to the surface. I'll have you brought to my ship.' She didn't react at once. 'Miss Parker!'

'They are safe.' Her breath was getting ragged. 'They are safe.' Suddenly, she curled in on herself, and an anguished moan broke from her. Jim felt completely helpless. He knelt before her and took her face into his hands.

'Miss Parker, are you injured?' Her pupils were extremely wide. Her whole body convulsed, and without thinking, Jim picked her up and ran back to Mermer.

ϡ

Jim wasn't certain what he had expected, but it was certainly more than a passing glance at the suffering woman and a shrug. 'She killed herself,' Mermer said coolly.

'She's not dead yet, help her, damn you!' The other man looked at him squarely.

'I can't. I'm a nurse, and I have nothing against that. She'll be dead in less than a minute. She took potassium cyanide.' Jim swallowed.

'How do you know?'

'Quite common recently.' Jim took a deep breath.

'And no-one cares to ponder why?' Mermer folded his arms.

'I know why. Because they have no choice. She probably took her children's lives before her own. Unless her husband stopped that nonsense.' Jim looked at the shaking figure on the couch and knelt beside her. Not caring that she had thrown up less than two minutes ago, he held her. Weak arms came around his back and clawed into his uniform, clutching at the comfort offered by a stranger.

'Can't you take her pain away?'

'No need to bother. It'll be over soon enough.' Jim looked at the man with disgust.

'You don't care at all, do you?' He brushed her hair out of her sweat-covered forehead. The arms around him went limp and released him, but her breath still whispered against his neck, so he kept holding her, refusing to let go until it was all over. 'What are the chances,' he asked softly, 'that my friend is going to survive?' At least this man wouldn't make things look better than they were.

'Low at best. If he decides to serve them, he'll live, at least for a time. If he refuses he'll be forced.' At last, Jim let go of the poor woman. Her struggle was over.

'I'd like to see that.' Mermer shook his head.

'Some say they use drugs. I don't think so. I think this is something worse.'

'Like what?'

'Telepathy.' Jim's eyes widened.

'No, not Bones.' He swallowed. 'But the Dariis, they are not telepathic. Nor aggressive, I was assured.'

'They are not aggressive. But humans are, and they seem to think the dissenters need someone who takes steps. Not that the dissenters agree.' Jim frowned. Humans weren't telepathic either, except for a few extremely rare exceptions. Mermer had completely ignored his remark about telepathy, come to think of it. For the moment, however, he let it go. Mermer lowered his voice. 'Listen, Captain, you do whatever you came for and then get the hell out of here. This is too big for you.' Jim stood and adjusted his uniform.

'I've heard that before. Turned out not to be true.' He walked towards the door, feeling defeated. 'A question. If you're a nurse, is there a medic at all? Anywhere?'

'There were some, of course, but two killed themselves, one went over to them, and the last one just … vanished. They seem to need doctors more than anything else.'

'Well, whoever they are, they're not getting my CMO.'

ϡ

The first thing he noticed was the intense cold. He had instinctively curled into a tight ball, preserving body heat as well as he could. It didn't seem much. Before he dared to move, he took inventory. He was nauseous, his head felt as if it had been cloven in half, he had no idea where he was or how he got there. That wasn't good but at least the last bit seemed logical. He was conscious, he could think straight, and he thought nothing was broken. That was good.

Slowly, Leonard turned from his side to his front. It was a mistake. The slight nausea turned to more than he could handle, and he was violently sick. Judging from the smell in this room – wherever that was – not for the first time. He was lucky he hadn't choked to death.

Leonard felt his head gingerly. There was a large patch of some description. 'Right. Concussion. Nothing to worry about. Just don't overwork yourself.' The left hand stretched before him, Leonard crawled towards where he suspected a wall. At the contact with it, a jab of pain shot up his arm. 'What in the name …' He leaned against the wall and felt his hand. It was bandaged. 'This is getting better and better.' His eyes were gradually adjusting to the low light. He was not, as he had thought, in a room. This structure looked natural to him, like a cavern of some description. On one wall, there was a metal construct with rusty levers. What little light he had came from very small versions of the crystals that were part of the rock. The entire place seemed to be circular, the only entrance a large surface of water that stirred so minutely he hadn't even noticed it at once. He assumed that it had a pod station, too.

Closing his eyes, Leonard focussed, trying to reach T'Kray, but his head protested fiercely. This had to wait. He could only hope she hadn't noticed any of what had happened to him, or she'd be worried. If he was honest to himself, she seemed to have good reason. Carefully, he felt the bandage on his hand from all sides. The origin of his pain was in the general area of his little finger, but through the thick layers he couldn't tell more precisely than that. 'At least they don't want me dead, it seems,' he muttered. 'God, stop talking to yourself. This is bad enough without you losing it.' Admitting defeat, Leonard rested against the cold, hard wall as comfortably as he could. Perhaps if he managed to sleep he would be able to communicate with T'Kray.

* * *

_((I love Bones, I really do, but I had to get him out of the way … I meant to do that, but I didn't mean to torture him in the process … Actually, I thought, this thing would be the lightest in mood. I'm myself a bit worried about Fire which I'm already planning to be sinister-ish.))_


	7. I Neither Save Nor Shield Them

_((First a WARNING: This is … not entirely pleasant. No details, but I'd still rather point it out._

_Another _Turn of the Screw_ chapter heading from the Governess. For once I have the chapter heading before the chapter.))_

* * *

Jim had left Mermer's place brimful with energy, but as he walked across the square and into the brick house, his shoulders slumped and he fell into a chair, burying his face in his hands in a helpless gesture. He knew how fragile human life was, but that Chrissie Parker had died so quickly was a painful reminder. Bones was not a man who was easy to force into anything. He would rather die than act against his ethics. Jim let the thought fill his mind. That he might never see his friend again, that he might find a cold body at best.

Grief threatened to overwhelm him, and he got to his feet, ramming a fist into a wall. 'I will not,' he rasped. 'I will not!'

_T'hy'la, you are not doing yourself a favour._ The touch of Spock's mind was gentle and understanding. Yes, the Vulcan knew what rage was. But he also knew how to conquer it. Jim was losing control, and that couldn't happen, not now. _What is it you will not do?_

_I don't know. Play sitting duck. Mourn a man who is not dead._ Jim let their bond caress and soothe him, helping him regain his composure. _And stop eavesdropping_, he added as an afterthought.

_Are you certain you do not require help?_

_So far no threats were made to me._ He started pacing. _I must play along if I want to find out anything. Nentwych, a high representative, is part of this conspiracy. I'll have to humour her, keep up appearances. Also at least one of your peaceful Dariis is part of it, a council member._

_I have difficulty believing that_, Spock answered at once. _If that is the case, you might consider coercion of some sort playing a part._

_Just how much information did I feed to you?_ Tentative humour touched him, and he knew the answer before Spock had a chance to tell him.

_Your thoughts are very loud when you are agitated. If it disturbs you, I shall block these involuntary transmissions._ Jim smiled. He could see before his mind's eye how Spock would look at him when he said that, hoping he hadn't crossed a line.

_No, my love. I have no secrets from you, and I don't need room for them._ Spock withdrew from their link very gently, leaving him calm and composed. The fear for McCoy certainly wasn't gone, but at least he no longer felt immobilised.

Forming the first tendrils of a battle plan, Jim sat down on the bed. He could ask Nentwych if she knew when to expect McCoy now … But it was late, and in a normal situation he wouldn't have thought about his absence twice. Bones working late wasn't something unusual. Reluctantly, Jim lay down and tried to rest.

In the morning, Jim wasn't sure if he had slept. He felt as restive as the night before and very worn out. Padding over to the washing area he beheld his reflection in the mirror. 'And who the hell are you?' he asked darkly. If he wanted to appear only mildly concerned he had to do something. He knelt beside the small coffer he knew belonged to Bones. Feeling horrible, he looked through whatever it was the good doctor had brought with him. It didn't help. Everything was labelled, but he had no idea what this stuff did. All he wanted was a light stimulant that didn't make him look as if he were to fall asleep at any given moment. Reluctantly, he left the things alone, got dressed and, once again, walked to Mermer. This time he knocked and waited until he was asked to enter. Mermer approached and froze when he saw him.

'This is getting ridiculous,' he said. Jim ignored the statement.

'What did you do with Miss Parker?'

'Handed her to the authorities. Anything else?' Jim looked at him squarely.

'I need to see Nentwych, and I can't look like a zombie when I do.' Mermer nodded.

'Formazine, but that only lasts so long.' He rummaged in a drawer and came back with a hypo. Jim flinched slightly. 'I'm not going to kill you. I have no part in the organisation that took your friend.' He grinned wryly. 'I know that a conspirator would say that. Now do you want this or not?' Jim nodded curtly. He didn't have much choice. 'You know, if you get tired you can always tell Nentwych that you never sleep well the first night in a new place. This is only going to work for a few hours, and I can't give you another or you'll go on a killing spree next.' Jim looked at him.

'As if you would care,' he said and walked out. He was already a little late for his meeting with Nentwych, and sure enough, the stout woman was waiting for him at the door to the tower. 'Good morning, Professor, my apologies.' He put on a sheepish smile. 'I'm afraid I have to get used to the underwater climate.' She seemed to buy it.

'I couldn't sleep for almost a week here,' she told him. 'When I finally did, I destroyed an alarm clock and slept through two days.'

'What's on the schedule today?'

'Two other council members. You will meet the rest tomorrow.' Jim thought this time was as good as any to ask his question.

'Doctor McCoy must be quite busy. He didn't come back last night.' With satisfaction he noticed that his tone was that of interest rather than anxiety. 'Any idea when he'll show up?' Nentwych tilted her head as if in thought.

'Good question. I know that there's quite a bit of trouble down Imral's end … Some severe cases of poisoning, I think, but I must admit that I am don't know exactly what it is.' She offered a shrug and looked squarely into his eyes. 'As to when he'll be back … I'm not certain. But I can try and find out the scale of the problem, maybe Imral can give me an estimate. They should, of course, have let me know that he's not coming back at night. I hope you weren't worried.' Jim pushed his anger at the nerve of that woman away.

'No, no. I know Bones, real grafter, sometimes drives himself too hard.' She smiled, and hell, but it seemed real.

'He sounds like a good man.' Jim nodded slowly.

'Yes. He is, Professor Nentwych.'

ϡ

Spock's head had barely touched the pillow when the intercom whistled. After a short moment of hesitation, he answered the call. Zh'Rane'sliquid voice filled the room. 'I am very sorry for disturbing you, but we received a message from Driin. It addressed T'Kray, but I thought I'd rather ask you first.'

'What does the message say?'

'To reunite with her lost love on the island.' Spock considered a moment.

'Thank you, Lieutenant.'

'Can I ask a question?'

'You may.'

'Is … everything all right with the Captain and the doctor?' Spock decided that the time had come to tell these people what the situation was.

'We have lost contact with Doctor McCoy,' he said at last. 'Tell two security men to meet me in the transporter room. And Lieutenant T'Kray.'

'At once, sir.'

The security men looked green, T'Kray as composed as ever. Somehow Spock had thought her open display of some emotions would make the situation unbearable for her, but the psychologist held herself perfectly. She seemed more Vulcan: distant, quiet, cool. In her soul, emotions must be raging, but none of that showed. She did know her disciplines, even if she decided to allow herself to smile and sometimes jest with the people around her.

Spock relayed what Zh'Rane had told him on the intercom. That Doctor McCoy and T'Kray were bondmates was not a secret. His eyes were boring into hers. 'I do not believe that we shall meet Doctor McCoy on the surface, T'Kray, but perhaps we can learn something about his whereabouts and his condition. I assumed you would wish to accompany me.' She did seem a little grim, now he looked more closely.

'You assumed right. Thank you.'

'I want everyone ready to fire, phasers set to kill. I have no intention of losing someone down there. This might be a trap.' He turned his piercing gaze to the man at the transporter console. 'Your orders are to beam everyone on the island up if we fail to communicate our safe arrival in after five secondsor if I do not contact you again after another minute. When I signal you to beam the landing party up, that will also include any other person on the island, unless I explicitly tell you to transport us only.' If the young man was confused by that order, he hid it well. T'Kray frowned slightly, and Spock decided she deserved as much information as he could give. 'Whoever this is is likely involved with the abduction of the doctor. I want to question them.'

'Can you supply a breathing environment for a Darii, Spock?'

'I could, but I doubt that it will be a Darii.' He looked at them all in turn. 'If you have questions, ask them now. I intend not to linger on the planet.' When no-one asked, he gave a curt nod. 'In that case, follow me.'

ϡ

Sometimes T'Kray wondered how Vulcans could even exist, how they had managed not to eradicate themselves in their volatile past. If she allowed her emotions to reign over her, she'd probably hurl herself into the water, thoughtlessly, without any other goal in mind than finding her bondmate. She'd certainly die in the attempt, causing nothing but further agony in the man she wanted to be safe. Being a modern Vulcan rather than the kind of savage her people were all that time ago, she could master those impulses, could master the fear and rage that battled for dominance somewhere deep inside. She allowed neither. Right now, she couldn't even allow love. It would do no good to feel for Leonard. If she cared too much, she would lose the battle for control, and he needed her controlled. Even though T'Kray had slept little, she had meditated, had reached a level of balance that was acceptable.

On the planet, Spock looked around before calling the Covenant to tell them that all was well. A pod was at the station, and Spock gestured to the two security men to train their phasers on it. She knew how he disliked violence. That was part of his training, but also in his nature: He was a very gentle creature. Arriving prepared to kill must be hard on him. Holding out a hand so she stayed behind him, Spock approached the pod. They were both flanked by the armed men, and T'Kray wondered if that was really necessary.

The pod opened with a hiss, revealing a middle-aged human female. 'Which of you is T'Kray?' she asked. The Vulcan swallowed.

'I am.' The stranger wanted to approach but was stopped by Spock's grip on her arm.

'Not so fast.' He plucked a small box out of her hand and pocketed it. 'Mayer, close the pod and search her for weapons. If the pod opens, fire.' The woman grew a shade paler. 'You have taken one of our men. How much courtesy do you expect?' he asked her. She merely turned away and waited until the security man was done frisking her.

'She's clean,' he said and stepped back, aiming at the door of the pod again.

'Why are we here? Is Doctor McCoy in the pod?' She shook her head.

'No.' Her expression was unreadable.

'Do you know where he is?' Spock continued.

'I know that, yes.' Spock nodded.

'That is excellent.' He touched his fist to his combadge. 'Ready to beam up.' T'Kray watched closely how the woman's expression … didn't change one bit. She had expected shock, surprise, anything. This was very wrong. 'Now we can speak.'

'Intimidating her won't work, she's drugged.' Spock spun around and looked at T'Kray. 'No idea what they gave her, but something to make her completely indifferent. I doubt that she's the enemy.'

'Mayer, contact sickbay. I want her checked thoroughly.' Mayer walked off to the intercom while Spock took a different approach. 'Miss, I want you to tell me why we came down to the planet surface.'

'I was to return this to you. The box. And a message.'

'What is inside?' She merely shrugged. T'Kray watched Spock as he opened the small container and looked inside. She tried desperately to read his expression, and there certainly was … something. His eyes widened slightly and his lips opened by a fraction, but only for a moment. He snapped the container shut quickly. He reached the intercom with two long strides. 'Sickbay, I need someone here at once. Anyone who's near us, no equipment, just one of your people.' He held the box delicately and returned his gaze to the stranger they had picked up. 'If this is what we are sent, then what is the message? What do your … your authorities want?' He managed to lace the word authorities with venom.

'The withdrawal of the Federation.'

'Taking Doctor McCoy into custody may force us into action, but not the Federation. That aside, we do not know if he is even alive.' The door swished open and a nurse came in. Spock passed her the box and told her to hand it to Doctor Durlan. Then he turned back to their captive. 'Well?'

'I was informed you know he lives. I heard he has a link to the other Vulcan.' T'Kray had to swallow. If they knew this, they must have looked into his mind. Spock understood the impact of that statement, too, of course. His lips pressed together, he made a gesture towards Mayer.

'Sickbay, then to the brig,' he said calmly. 'Phasers on stun. T'Kray, if you would.' Blindly, T'Kray followed Spock,.

'What did they send?' she asked. She got no reply.

'Can you communicate with Leonard?' Spock asked instead.

'No, but he is awake. In some pain, I think, but it doesn't seem too bad. It's as if there's a damper between us that lets me sense his presence but no thoughts. I'm not sure if he's receiving me.' Spock nodded curtly.

'I want you to inform me at once if that changes. Do you think you would know if Leonard were severely injured?'

'Yes, I believe so.'

'Please follow me to sickbay, Lieutenant.' The use of her rank meant distance, and somehow that only added to her increasing worry.

'Spock, what happened? What are you not telling me?'

'I will tell you.' Swallowing her retort, T'Kray followed Spock's long strides to the sickbay. They were greeted by a nurse.

'Doctor Durlan put the …'

'I am confident that she knows how to proceed,' Spock interrupted her quickly.

'I have the …'

'Give it to me, please.' Something passed between the nurse and Spock. Obviously uneasy, the nurse hurried away to give them privacy. Spock contemplated whatever he was holding. 'Hold out your hand,' he told T'Kray. Locking eyes with him, she did. Cold metal touched her palm when Spock passed her the item. Reluctantly, she gazed down into her hand.

There it lay, completely innocent, and yet it terrified her more than any weapon could. A delicate golden band with a single blue diamond. Dazed, T'Kray let herself fall onto a chair. 'What else was in that box?' she asked, already knowing the answer.

'The finger the ring was attached to.' Her eyes still rested on the ring, the world around her was slowly dissolving into a green mist. Spock's voice kept wafting through it, stopping it from stifling her. 'Nowadays a finger can be reattached after as much as three weeks if it is kept safe. Even if not, this is a minor injury.' His face suddenly drifted through the haze. He must have approached. 'T'Kray, since they know they do not need to send evidence that they have taken Leonard, the sole purpose of this is to force our hand. You realise that.' With a snap, T'Kray closed her hand around the piece of jewellery.

'Yes. I know.'

'I shall let Jim know what happened as soon as he is at rest. Nothing is lost.'

'I know.'

'Jim needs to be extremely cautious if he does not want to jeopardise Leonard's and his own lives. This will require time. We cannot act harshly.' Finally, T'Kray met the gaze of her old friend, and she realised that his words were for his own benefit as much as hers.

'I know, Spock,' she said. Swallowing, she opened her fist and looked at the ring. 'Keep it somewhere.' Spock nodded, but on an impulse, she changed her mind. A small, unhappy smile appeared on her face, the first sign of emotion since Leonard was gone, she knew. 'On the other hand …' Uncertain if any of it would reach her Leonard, T'Kray focussed all her thoughts on him, trying to let him feel that they were there, trying to help him. She thought she sensed something in reply, but maybe that was wishful thinking. 'Spock, can I keep this?'

'Certainly,' he said solemnly. T'Kray slipped the small ring on her middle finger. _I'll return this to you,_ she tried to tell him. _I don't know when, but I will, Lenkam._

* * *

_((Formazine is what Bones drugged the guy in _By Any Other Name_ with.))_


	8. A Naughty Boy in Adversity

_((If you've made it this far, I assume you know by now where my chapter headings are coming from. And here's also the one I threatened to use in the future. It's Miles's quote, this time. And I feel with Jim, I struggle with getting the prepositions right with the water dwellers. I'd screw this up big time. No idea the hell kind of devil I had in me there … linguistic self-flagellation is what this is. Also, there's a _Desperate Housewives_ almost-quote in there.))_

* * *

The council members Jim had the questionable pleasure to meet were Two and Seven, and they wore green and brown veils respectively. He was fully aware that with Maria Nentwych's lingering presence he was in a room with at least two people who had, in the widest sense, something to do with whatever had happened to McCoy. He listened to Seven's description of what they had traded in. That water dweller was an encyclopedia. Jim was glad for the stimulant. The topic was certainly not helpful. He understood why he was being put through it, however. The water dweller was trying to make a point of how important the planet really was, and he was right. Two had been mostly silent. 'Can I … I apologise … but can I ask a question?' he asked when Seven seemed finished with detailing the mechanics of storing harvested algae underwater. 'Not really related to trade, I am afraid.' The brown-clad water dweller inclined their head.

'That is the purpose of this meeting. We know about the Federation, but the Federation has little knowledge of us.' Jim smiled.

'The Federation as a group know quite a bit. Its individuals, however …' He let his voice trail off. 'And I do not exclude myself. I knew of Driin's existence, but that is really it. I never saw a water dweller before, nor could I speak to one, simply because I'd never set foot on your planet. If you seek membership, this has to change. You will have to send representatives.'

'You had a question,' Two reminded him. Jim inclined his head.

'Indeed. And please do not be offended, I ask out of ignorance. How do you … Imral spoke to my first officer on the island, and you are sitting here. In the open air. I heard that technological development makes it possible for you to remain safely outside the water, but I'd like to know how.'

'A simple mechanism, similar to your breathing tubes. As for Imral, if he was outside the water only for a few minutes, he could survive that without aid.' Jim nodded slowly.

'I see.' He leaned forward slightly. 'Something else … Something that Professor Nentwych told me and I can't stop thinking of: I heard that there are some that don't want Driin to join the Federation. I would like to hear what their reasons are.' Seven spoke first.

'Their fear was that you would take from us what you need and depart with it, leaving us open to attack. We informed them that this is not the way the Federation works.' Jim smiled.

'That is appreciated.' Two nodded but raised a webbed hand.

'Still, the question is why the Federation is our best option.' Jim leaned back in his chair and looked at Two.

'Piracy is a very real problem, and your planet has no defences. Nor do your people. Anyone can just waltz in and take what they please. There's little to nothing you can do to stop them. As a trading partner, you enjoy some protection from the trading vessels. But no trader in their right mind will engage in a fight they aren't sure they'll win.'

'So they would protect us.' Two managed to sound like a petulant child in his insistence. Jim shook his head.

'They try, occasionally. Whenever they do, they prove they are so far out of their league they're playing a different sport.' He bit his tongue. Bones would kick him for that statement, and he didn't even want to imagine what Spock would have to say to it. 'What I mean is, they don't have the means to effectively protect you. Against one fool, yes. Anything else, no way.'

'What I would like to hear is why the Federation is a better option than, say, the Romulan Star Empire.' Jim chuckled.

'They're light-years away and know better than to get so deep into our terretory. There's just us here, and whoever else comes is a criminal.' Two looked a little crestfallen, and Jim decided to ponder that further. For the moment, however, he had no opportunity.

'Sirs, I need to cut this short, I am afraid,' Nentwych said. 'I thank you both for coming. Captain … I would like to show you a … situation.' Something in the way she said this made Jim uncomfortable. He followed her out of the tall building and to a winding road with a growing sense of apprehension. Professor Nentwych halted in the middle of the road and looked at him as if she expected him to see something. Then it struck him. Swallowing, he knelt, touching his fingertips to the ground to confirm what he saw. His fingers came back wet. Very slowly, as if trying to delay seeing the inevitable, Jim turned his eyes upwards. A single drop of water hit him squarely on the forehead.

'Oh my God,' he breathed.

'There are three breaches of this sort. The last one was detected this morning. They're all minor, but still, they are there.'

'You are telling me that we are trapped and that this is getting worse.'

'At this moment, we aren't trapped. The descent isn't affected, we can flee if push comes to shove.' Somehow, inexplicably, Jim was calm.

'How do you suggest to fix it?'

'You have a ship full of scientists. Tell them to find whatever is in the water that wasn't there before. Something must be causing this.'

'Either that, or some gas emitted down here.'

'Our scientists are at a loss.'

'Just how long have you known that this problem exists?' Nentwych pointedly avoided Jim's eyes. 'Before we came, I assume.' His eyes narrowed. 'We would have come, you know,' he said coldly. 'We wouldn't have refused because it's dangerous. But we would have known what we're facing.' Fuming, Jim walked away and back to the brick house. His eyes avoided Bones's belongings. He was more afraid for the life of his friend than his own.

'Kirk to Covenant,' he said into his communicator.

'Spock here.' Jim rubbed his fist against his forehead.

'Look, we've got a problem down here. There are minor breaches in the surface of the bacteria, no more than dribbling really, but still.'

'Captain, I strongly advise you to return to the surface at once.' Jim sighed.

'You know I can't. That aside, the descent is in perfect working order and if this should get nasty I can make a quick escape.' For a moment this was met with silence.

'You are, of course, away, that this may change. Do you believe it is a coincidence?'

'Given the nature of the problem – yes. I doubt they'd risk drowning.' He took a deep breath. 'I want you to test the water and whatever comes up from the air vents. Find out what's causing this and put an end to it, or it won't matter if I find Bones.' There was another moment of hesitation.

'Understood, Captain.'

'I'll let you know if our situation down here changes in any way,' Jim said. 'Kirk out.'

ϡ

Leonard knew a lot about the Dariis. He knew how they functioned, physically and emotionally. He knew which medicines helped and which harmed them. He knew what diseases they had on the planet, and which contagious diseases they could catch from humanoids – which were precious few. But what was happening to the Dariis in his care was something that completely eluded him.

'Can you breathe?' he asked. The Darii nodded and gurgled.

'It can breathe but feels weak,' Anja, one of the humans who worked for this so-called organisation, translated. 'Leonard rubbed the bridge of his nose. 'You can't see the symptoms here, I'll …' Leonard shook his head quickly.

'You'll describe them is what you do. You won't kick the Darii into the tank to demonstrate!'

'Maintaining life-support is difficult.'

'Yeah? Do I look like I care? That's your job.' Anja scowled but caved.

'They're all like high. They're sluggish to react, spin around like mad, some of them.' Leonard shook his head. There were very few conditions that could do that to a Darii, none of them were the case here. This particular patient had it bad. His scaled skin was covered by mucus and angry red patches. Leonard closed his eyes.

'I'd say this is a poison. Although I nothing on this planet should cause … this.' He looked at Anja. 'But I'm thinking environmental poisoning. And it's something to do with you people because it's only your Dariis that are sick.' He was reaching with that statement, but he had a feeling this was a problem that was brought from outside.

'You're not supposed to guess, you're supposed to know.' Leonard stepped closer to her, glaring right into her eyes.

'Well, if you'd just asked me to come, I'd have brought equipment and I could have given you a useful answer.'

'You're in a delicate position, Starfleet man,' the woman told him.

'Again: You took me by force, knocked me unconscious, and kept me in a cold, wet place for two days without even a drop of fresh water.' He lowered his voice. 'Speaking of which, fresh water would be nice. And more than the one cup I was given.'

'You have to earn what you get here,' a voice said behind him, and Leonard turned.

'There are worse ways to die than dehydration, but I'd prefer living.' The man who had come smiled.

'Really, colleague?' Leonard's face expressed his repulsion. 'You see, I can't treat the Dariis, so I thought we'd try the doctor a representative of the Dariis requested. We were informed of your identity. You need not die. All you've got to do is cooperate.' The smile turned into an obvious sneer. 'To show our goodwill, I'll take a look at your head and your hand. And you can borrow my equipment. Follow.' Without any real option, Leonard did as he was told.

He had been released from his strange prison the day before, after two days – or so he thought. He had used the time alone with himself in the dark to try and establish contact with T'Kray, only to find he couldn't. He also knew that someone had been with him at least twice to change bandages. Whatever else they had done he wasn't certain, perhaps they had even somehow provided him with water. He doubted it. He knew his head was still hurting and that wasn't a good sign, considering his concussion had probably been seen to.

What troubled Leonard almost as much as the obvious outcome of the absolute absence of sustenance was that although he felt his link with T'Kray, he couldn't reach her. He felt her trying to contact him, but he very obviously couldn't respond. He sensed her desperation and had no idea how to help her, how to tell her where he was – not that he knew that – and that he needed help.

The first thing the self-proclaimed colleague gave him was a glass of water. Leonard drank it, careful not to spill anything. The other man chuckled. 'If you're good you'll have food, too.' Leonard glowered but refused to antagonise him right now. He didn't want to die, at least not too soon. 'Well. Did you remove the bandages at any point?'

'In a dirty cave where I can't see anyway? Strangely, no.'

'Ah, interesting. Do you know what was done to you?'

'Well, the hulk who brought me let my head collide with his hovercar – by accident, I'm sure. Whatever other accident he had with my hand I don't know.' The other man laughed.

'That would have been my accident. You see, we had to let your friends know that we've got you.' Leonard frowned slightly at that.

'So you did what?'

'Look.' Suddenly afraid, Leonard removed the bandage around his head. His heart was thudding painfully hard in his chest.

The wound was healed and treated expertly. What pain had been there when he had first woken up was long gone. He swallowed, taking deliberate breaths. When he spoke, his voice was rough. 'You are insane. Completely insane.' This wasn't the end of the world. No-one really needed a little finger to begin with, not even a doctor. But still … what kind of medic did that sort of thing? 'Where the hell did you put my ring?' The other doctor stared at him and burst into laughter.

'You sure have your priorities right.' Leonard turned his eyes upwards.

'I'll tell you something. I don't have any illusions about your intentions. You're saying I may live, but I really don't think so. You'll kill me, albeit slowly, if given the time. As long as I'm not dead, I'll keep my hopes up that I'll be found in time. And I won't do you the favour to scream or beg or weep.' He shook his head. 'I don't doubt that you can kill me, but you'll find that you can't break me. You can tell that anyone who's above you and send my regards.'

'Look, I know this doesn't look good, but opposition isn't easy on Driin. The Dariis don't do it on their own, and you wouldn't have helped without being forced.'

'Obviously, you don't know me.'

'And we needed evidence to send to your ship. The ring, by the way, we sent as well.'

'It would have sufficed to send just that.' Leonard sat on a chair and tried to wrap his mind around the situation for the umpteenth time. At least he understood T'Kray's pledge to return something to him. 'My God, you poor soul,' he said quietly. The situation had to be torture for her. A scanner hummed.

'Don't feel so sorry for yourself. Your concussion's healed, too. There are traces of a solution you are receiving that is blocking your link to your Vulcan. There was an attempt to remove it, but that proved impossible without killing you.' Without thinking, Leonard had catapulted himself from the chair towards the other doctor and grabbed a fistful of his shirt.

'What the hell are you doing to me? How do you even know that?' The other remained very calm.

'We merely took a little bit of information while you slept. That you're bonded to a Vulcan forced us to be quick. But we did learn that you were really quite harmless, so you do not scare me.' Reluctantly, Leonard let go.

'You force-fed me a drug?'

'You were given a hypo-spray, and you will keep receiving the drug. Your mind was read by the leader of this little organisation.'

'I'd like to meet that one.'

'You might. Look this is all just for your own protection. We need you.' Leonard tilted his head.

'You believe what you're saying? What's your name, even?' The other man sighed and smiled with more condescension than Leonard had ever seen in a fellow human being. 'No name? Well, in that case I'll just call you Proctophantasmist.' That, at least, got a reaction.

'You'll call me what?'

'Well, if you believe all you were telling me, you probably see ghosts with your … your rear, too.' Leonard smiled slightly at the clueless expression on the other man's face. 'Hell, you contradicted yourself and I'm not even sure if you're aware of that.'

'Can you say that word again?'

'Proctophantasmist. I advise you to catch up on classical literature. Might do you good.' When he clapped his hands together, he was reminded of the missing finger, and his angry humour drained away. 'You said something about equipment.'

'And about food. You will have both.'

* * *

_((The Proctophantasmist is a character from Goethe's _Faust_, and I haven't the faintest idea what's wrong with my head because when I wondered about a mocking name Len would give that guy it was my first thought. The word means basically what Leonard says. That is not an extra-accurate translation concerning the place with which the spectres are perceived, but this shouldn't rise above a PG-13 rating, so I'm limited._

_A short side-note to the chapter heading: This is part of the Latin sentence 'Malo malo malo malo', which is translated into 'I would rather be in an apple tree than a naughty boy in adversity'. The first malo means I prefer. The second malo is the locative of malus which means apple tree. The locative is the case that describes the place you're in and doesn't necessarily need a preposition in Latin, especially in verse. Now malus can also be a bad male person, so this is the third malo. Case would be the ablative of comparison: You don't use a word like 'than' in Latin for a comparison, you just use a different case. Now the fourth and last malo comes from the word malum. Malum can mean apple, but here it doesn't. Here it means evil, calamity, adversity, punishment, whichever you prefer. Here, too, we have an ablative – since adversity isn't really a place it's that rather than a locative. Latin is precise like that. (I love that language, in case you didn't notice.)_

_Now to my aside that malum can mean both apple and evil: There was never an apple in the bible. There was evil and an error. The forbidden fruit was never anything more precise than just a forbidden fruit. The two words 'malum' are completely unrelated and pronounced a tiny bit differently, by the way._

_Aside from all that, which is stuff I know without looking up anything at all, you don't want to know what sort of research I've done for the last few chapters. If a psychotherapist shows up at my door one of these days, telling me that life is good and suicide is not a solution, I know the NSA's been peeking. Seriously, I stumbled upon things I wouldn't have expected outside the darknet when I looked up alcoholic poisoning. Good thing is it gave me the idea with the potassium cyanide, but still … Here I thought I'm a hard dog, but Christ, I'm traumatised.))_


	9. String and Air

_((Charika's condition is mentioned in _Air_, you want to know you'll have to look there :P_

_A Reldai is a Vulcan priestess._

_Today's chapter heading is from Mrs Grose and Flora, who are playing cat's cradle.))_

* * *

It seemed common knowledge that Vulcans had eidetic memory. However, that was not the case. There were a few events in Spock's life he had little recollection of because they hadn't seemed important at that time. When he did understand the significance of a situation, he could remember details for a very long time – as far as he could tell, forever. That was the reason why he knew that, despite a somewhat confused utterance from Jim many years ago, there was no regulation against crew members of any rank forming an intimate relationship. It was somewhat frowned upon but certainly not forbidden unless said relationship was in same way exploitative or non-concensual. Neither was it forbidden to have the child or foster child of a crew member on board. If it were, he would have been guilty of that offence himself many years ago. Jim had called him and the Doctor his family more than once, and Spock had to admit that he agreed. At this time, the group around him and Jim Kirk looked so much like that, complete with in-laws. While that arrangement did provide a basis of trust that was unusual, someone higher up might find fault with it.

They had to get to Vulcan, to a Reldai who would verify their bonds officially. But more than that, they had to prove that the emotional ties were not debilitating. It was time to speak to his in-law foster child. Jim would burst into laughter at that wording, no doubt.

As before, he had communicated with Jim in the evening before he went to sleep. All seemed well apart from the problems at hand. Once more, Jim had made it clear that he didn't want anyone joining him on the surface, and Spock would not act against that order. But he was not going to wait until this situation spun completely out of control, either. Plan A was Jim's plan: Find what caused the problem with the bacteria and do something about it. Spock wanted a plan B, a way out if that did not work fast enough. He refused to let Jim die. He refused to let Leonard die. Neither was acceptable. Reports were coming in from the science team and the medical department. There seemed no health hazards for the humans. That, at least was good. The water however was slightly contaminated. So slightly that on Earth no-one would notice. The lab was now trying to work out if they had found the cause.

Spock's bridge duty ended, and again, his mind trailed off to regulations as he stood in the turbo lift. Every crew member was responsible for his or her own health to some degree. They had to seek out a doctor if they thought they might need one, they had to eat, they had to sleep. Occasionally, this did not work out ideally: Emergencies came up, and someone had to overstay. But it was absolutely impossible that someone collapsed at their station because they were overworked. Spock was getting dangerously close to breaking that regulation, and he knew it. He allowed himself little rest. The truth was, he hardly could sleep. He could, however, meditate, and that was almost as helpful for him. He was in no danger to break down. He could almost hear what McCoy would have to say to that, and he admitted to himself that he was concerned for the cantankerous medic.

Anyway, he knew he should get to his quarters, eat, and try – again – to sleep. Rather than that, however, Spock went into a small conference room and summoned Blanik and Charika. Then he informed sickbay that he would come down there next and that he wanted T'Kray to join him for what he had in mind. He was just finished when the door revealed Blanik and Charika, who saluted him. 'Please take a seat,' he told both men earnestly. Charika seemed slightly nervous, Spock registered. There was no need. 'Charika, do you know that transporting to or from the surface of the Driin's ocean is impossible?' The human blinked.

'Yes. Yes, I know that.'

'Good. The Captain and Doctor McCoy are down there. Our CMO's whereabouts are currently unknown to us. So is his physical and mental health.' He steepled his hands. 'What we do know is that the dome is no longer safe, that there are breaches. We also know that so far the descent is functional. We do not know for how long. We need an emergency plan, a way to bring them both back up if the descent breaks.' Blanik shook his head.

'No way. We cannot even target the Captain properly.'

'Work on it, there must be some way to compensate. At least transport to the ship should be possible. As for transport to the planet … If you manage to establish a safe way to return people to the ship, I will go down. Yes, Lieutenant?'

'Sir … my apologies, but Regulation …' Spock shook his head sharply.

'I know that the Captain and the first officer shouldn't be on an away mission together, but we are dealing with a species two of the personnel of the ship have any knowledge about. One of them is Doctor McCoy, and he is already on the planet. How would you negotiate with the Dariis?' Blanik pursed his lips.

'I … Yeah. No idea. I didn't mean to offend.'

'I am not offended. Charika, please tell me how your Relocators work.' The young man blushed slightly.

'They … they don't use coordinates to find a place but the amount of energy generated. And they don't notice subtle differences. On Dainam they were a means to jump from the Tower to the city and back when they finally worked.'

'I assume transporting to the planet surface is out of the question.' Charika's eyes went wide.

'No way, they can't even read something so far away.' His eyes narrowed slightly, he leaned forward, and from behind the shyness inflicted by the fact that he was talking to a superior, the self-assured inventive human emerged. 'Unless … unless I could somehow connect them to the ship's computer … Use the readings from the computer, feed the distance into the Relocator, and let it lock on what the computer offers, an energy source there … It could work, but it would take a while to figure out.'

'You have time, Charika, but I do not know how much. Do things like body weight or certain equipment have to be fed into the Relocator?'

'No, no, they don't. It'll grab anything that's attached to it, people, rocks, furniture … I estimate the weight limit at around 200 kilograms.'

'So the Relocator can be handed from one person to another.'

'Yes. And if James' … oh, not again … sorry … the Captain's Relocator is still here somewhere, he can use it. The hardware hasn't changed much, I can modify that.'

'How?'

'I'll tell you as soon as Í manage to make it compatible with the data from the ship's computer. Since it's primarily a device used for communication, it can receive data from a distance. But … well, how I'll do this, I don't know.'

'Is there a chance that this is entirely impossible?' Charika shook his head.

'No. No, it's possible all right, I just haven't got a clue how.'

'Consider yourself relieved from any other duty, Charika, but do not drive yourself too hard. You may go. Blanik, another minute please.' He waited until Charika had left before he continued. 'He seemed slightly nervous.' Blanik shrugged.

'Well, sir, you're his commanding officer. It's to be expected.' Spock leaned back.

'Charika and I have worked together before. Quite effectively, I have to say. I doubt that I make him uneasy.' He sighed very slightly. 'Lieutenant, I am not an expert on human emotions, but I have spent most of my life among them and I learned to notice subtle details. Such as the fact that you did not even enquire what a Relocator is. Therefore, Charika either told you, or you do not believe it deserves talking about.'

'Permission to speak freely, sir.' Spock inclined his head. 'I heard his tale of the Relocators, and I have serious doubts that what he's saying can work.'

'Did he inform you precisely how they functioned?'

'I didn't ask.'

'Perhaps you should have. When I was there, they were already communication devices, and in the short period of time we spent on Dainam their sophistication increased. The complex of buildings had a central computer that monitored every single door. They had four security levels. They had a warning system that automatically sealed a certain area and, also automatically, reopened it. All this was done by one man. You have this man on your staff now. Do not underestimate him, and do not demand too little from him. He craves challenges, actively seeks them. His potential is very high, and I for one intend to use that potential.'

'He doesn't look the part.' Spock frowned.

'His handicap looks more severe than it is, I believe. His mental faculties are considerable, Blanik. Physically, I believe his vision is not perfect and his mobility may be slightly limited.'

'You know what he's got? Can't that be … corrected?' A small smile formed on Spock's lips.

'I have a guess from Lieutenant T'Kray. The medical department will know for certain, but I am not going to ask, and neither are you. There is no immediate reason why we have to know.'

'If he is impaired …'

'What T'Kray suggested has such a wide range of potential symptoms that it is hardly possible to make a deduction from that. The visible evidence can probably be removed in surgery, to what degree he would profit from treatment I do not know, nor do I have to.' Blanik frowned.

'If he needs treatment and refused it …'

'I would have been informed,' Spock said sharply. 'I will not tolerate bigotry, Blanik. I suggest you familiarise yourself with regulations regarding disclosure of medical conditions and discrimination.'

ϡ

In sickbay, Spock went straight to Durlan's office. The doctor looked up from her papers and smiled slightly. 'I assume you come here to ask about our guest.' The Vulcan raised an eyebrow. 'Well, there isn't much to say except that she isn't very forthcoming with information.'

'I did not expect her to be,' Spock replied. 'T'Kray suspected that she was under the influence of some substance.' Durlan nodded.

'Yes. But since she isn't talking I can't tell you if she took it or was force-fed.' She leaned closer to her computer and searched for a short moment. 'Nothing too common, either. Mainly just clouds the judgement a bit. Tell you the truth, I don't think she chose to take this. Would be a bit odd.'

'Can I talk to her?' Durlan shrugged.

'Knock yourself out. Personally, I don't care much what you do to her.' She glowered at the screen. 'Maybe the problem is that as a doctor something like that is especially disgusting to me, but I really … Why do people wilfully injure a perfectly fine person?'

'I am afraid I cannot answer you that question. Perhaps T'Kray can.'

'I'm not sure if I want to know. Speaking of her, though, she's waiting for you.'

'Do you know if she talked with the captive?'

'I didn't let her yet. But maybe she can get something out of her. Like I said, I don't care how very much.' Spock left the acting CMO's office and was intercepted by T'Kray in the corridor.

'Spock, you wanted to see me. Any news?' He shook his head.

'None that are of any consequence. I would like to talk to the captive and wondered if you wish to join me.' The other Vulcan's face was determined.

'Yes. Thank you.'

The captive was held in a separate locked room. The lock was a quarantine lock, something that was not supposed to be used for any other purpose than the intended one, but Spock decided not to notice. It was a reasonable measure.

The woman did not look good. Her eyes were red, her face pale. She seemed very apprehensive, sweat beaded her forehead, and she visibly tensed when the two Vulcans entered. 'Withdrawal,' T'Kray stated coolly. 'She's on medication to avoid her having seizures, but you can't stop it all.'

'An addiction, then?'

'Physically, yes. Miss, we would like to talk to you.' She looked at them with deep scepticism.

'Go away.'

'We are fully aware that you may not have acted on your own volition. You were given a substance that would make you easy to control. If you had volunteered, you would hardly have been drugged.' The woman's nervousness eased a little. 'Can we have a name?' She shook her head fiercely. 'Not necessarily yours. We need something for our files and to address you.'

'Jane, then.'

'Very well. Did you know what you were bringing?'

'The finger of your Doctor.' Spock and T'Kray exchanged a glance. 'Look, I don't know where he's kept or how. I just know that … people who don't do what they're told are forced to do it.'

'We know that,' T'Kray said quietly, pushing her worry aside. 'Who are these people? What do they want?' Again, the woman shook her head, her eyes wide with fear. 'You are safe here. We will not return you to these people.'

'How do I know?' Her voice was barely audible and shaking. T'Kray approached and crouched near her.

'You'll have to trust us. We will not hurt you if you refuse to speak, but one of our own … my bondmate, for that matter … is gone and at the mercy of a group of people whose intentions elude us completely. Do you have family?' Slowly, the woman shook her head.

'My son took his life.'

'Maybe you can save someone else's life if you speak to us,' Spock told her, but Jane, as she had called herself, had her eyes trained on T'Kray's.

'It started with some of the Dariis fearing that they'd be forced to fight in your military. We … the humans in general, that is … tried to convince them that wasn't the case.' She swallowed a few times, and T'Kray interrupted her with a short gesture.

'Would you like a glass of water?' Jane nodded curtly. 'I'll get one.'

'Please continue,' Spock said when T'Kray left. For a moment Jane hesitated. Apparently she found him much more intimidating. He decided he needed her to trust him as well, or she would no doubt hold something back. They probably did not have very much time, but too much pressure was likely to do more harm than good. 'Withdrawal is a painful process. If you need more time to recover I shall return tomorrow. I am afraid I cannot offer you more.'

'No … no. Tomorrow won't be better.' When she finally steeled herself to continue, Jane spoke very quietly, but the tremor in her voice had eased slightly. 'Anyway, it came very suddenly that some of us started to … to support this mild dissent. And it also suddenly got stronger. A group formed itself, called themselves the board of enquiry. I know that because I … for a time … found that the doubts might not be unfounded, at least not all of them. The planet will lose some of its autonomy.'

'Do you not believe that the safety membership guarantees outweighs the potential loss of autonomy?' Jane's expression darkened.

'I know that now.' When the door opened and T'Kray entered, Jane jumped violently. Spock waited patiently until she had taken a few sips of the water. 'The board doesn't let you leave, you know. Once I realised that it wasn't founded by the Dariis or the humans I wanted out, but I couldn't.'

'Of course,' Spock said darkly.

'What do you mean, neither Dariis nor humans?' T'Kray asked with a frown.

'There are both among the members, but it wasn't created by either. I never met him, but from what I heard he must be something else. Mostly when people speak of him they call him just the head, but I heard one of the humans call him an alien, and I'm sure he didn't mean a Darii. Those he never calls aliens.'

'Do you know what alien?' Spock asked, but Jane shook her head. 'Thank you. You will, with your agreement, be subjected to a computer test by T'Kray to verify that you are speaking the truth. If you pass, you will be assigned quarters for your stay.'

'You mean … I won't have to stay here?'

'This is a sickbay, and the brig is for criminals, not for victims.' He looked at the other Vulcan. 'A word, please.' He led the way back to her office, entered, but did not sit. 'I will inform Jim of what we have learned about a potentially alien instigator. I do not know if that will aid him, but he must know all he can. Have you heard from Leonard?' T'Kray shook her head.

'Not yet. I have the impression that he can hear me, however. I'll let him know, too.'

'Do that. And convince him to cooperate with his captors. Let him know that he is not alone, and that we will not leave him to his fate.'


	10. Here My Tragedy Began …

_((Chapter heading is from Miss Jessel, and the next one is going to be her next line … Yay!))_

* * *

Leonard's situation hadn't been good to begin with, but now, for the first time, he seriously doubted if he stood even a small chance to survive this mess. He had been kept short on water the entire time, but after his first few days in the cave it had been bearable.

The idea what might be ailing the Dariis had come to him the first night he had spent in the Proctophantasmist's office, curled up in the corner of a spare room. The hysteria they displayed could easily mean that even though they could breathe, the oxygen couldn't be processed. That pointed towards environmental poisoning, as he had said on impulse, and it could help to determine what exactly the poison was. Leonard had gone through a list in his mind that could cause beings in a water environment to behave as the Dariis did, and he had arrived at three or four substances that came into question. He'd had to wait patiently until the morning to be able to check – he was locked up, after all.

His tests had verified his suspicion. The cause was chlorine. Free chlorine had no business being in Driin's ocean. Leonard's first thought had been that the pollution was a result of the volcanic activity that had destroyed the communication centre. That had happened too long ago, however. Free chlorine didn't remain free chlorine for so long. There would have been a few cases of poisoning, but no recent ones.

The logical conclusion was that chlorine was constantly released into the water. That was certainly not something the representatives of the Federation did, so it had to originate from here. Leonard had intended to tell these people here as much, but in the end decided against it. Even though he still couldn't respond, T'Kray was insistently communicating what was going on elsewhere, and it didn't sound good. He had to get out of here fast, and he had thought that if he was silent, if he did as he was told, maybe they'd just let him leave.

He had thought wrong. After revealing his discovery to the Proctophantasmist and starting to successfully treat the chlorine poisoning, he had found himself in the cave again. This time, he wasn't unconscious, so he knew for a fact that no-one was visiting him. The good part was that he was no longer being drugged. The bad part was that all he had was salt water and no means to generate heat. If no-one came within the next few days, this was it.

He could, of course, drink the salt water. In small amounts it would help, assuming someone came in time. If he didn't drink at all, he would die after a few days. He hadn't had anywhere near enough water recently, but since he had been fed he couldn't estimate how long it would take until he was beyond saving. If he kept taking only small amounts of salt water, he would survive longer, buying himself time. The question was if it was worth trying. He could also drink as much as he was able and be done with it.

'Oh no, you're not even thinking about that,' Leonard told himself firmly. He cupped his hands and gathered some water in them, contemplating it with mild concern before trying it. It tasted horrible. 'Enough for today.' He shook his head. 'And stop talking to yourself, for God's sake.' There was one thing he could do: He could keep trying to reach T'Kray. Sooner or later, whatever substance had stopped him from communicating with her would be out of his system.

ϡ

Jim had been more than a little distracted in his meeting with the last few council members. He had decided to stop trying to pretend that all was well. Communications were functional again, so he had a right to be worried about Bones's failure to contact him. He decided to tell Nentwych as much. Before they parted ways, he stopped her with a hand to her forearm. 'Professor … I have a question. I still haven't heard from Doctor McCoy. Everything's working again, so he should have called.' Nentwych thought for a moment.

'You're right. He should have. I'll let Imral know, I'm meeting him later.' Jim jumped on that. He put on the most charming smile he managed.

'Maybe I can join you? Ask him how long it'll take and so forth. I've done all that needs doing, it's up to the Dariis now.' The truth was, he did want to talk to Imral. It had been he, after all, who had asked that they come down here. Nentwych appeared to consider his words.

'Well … we're on a tight schedule Captain, but I'll see what I can do.' Jim took that to mean that he could only talk to Imral after he had been thoroughly intimidated. Since the Darii wasn't likely to be able to say where Bones was anyway, it didn't matter that much if he was primed to lie. 'How about that, you go and get yourself something to eat, and in the meantime I speak with him. I'll ask him if he's got any excess time on his hands, and if he does, I'll send him your way.'

Jim did as she said, albeit unhappily. He ate listlessly, more because it was a necessity than anything else. To Jim's amazement, the door to the brick house opened when he was just finished. He had half expected Imral not to come at all. When the Darii arrived alone, that came as an added surprise. Jim greeted him warmly and offered food, but Imral declined, stating they were short on time. Jim tried to read them, tried to find out if the being was afraid. He knew too little about the water dwellers to be certain. 'Imral, I have a few urgent questions.' Imral gurgled quietly. It sounded almost like a growl.

'I know. I can't tell you when your friend will contact you. I will, of course, remind him.' Jim nodded, then decided to be reckless.

'Just how do you want to do that? You don't have him.' Imral blinked twice. It looked strange, with the haw sliding over the eyes before the lids closed. Then the Darii turned and bolted from the house. Jim followed, swearing under his breath. He could do nothing to stop the water dweller from crossing the piazza and running without pause past the shield into the ocean.

Jim stopped his chase in the middle of the piazza, staring after Imral with a mixture of anger and frustration. He should have known better, should have blocked the water dweller's exit in advance.

Only a few minutes after Jim had returned to the brick house, someone knocked on his door. Never before had he been startled by someone announcing their presence in such an innocent manner. He and Bones had come unarmed, but Jim wasn't going to share his friend's fate. He took a knife from the kitchen and stood beside the door. He kept the weapon out of sight when he opened.

Of all the people Jim might have expected to visit, Mermer was the very last. Yet here he stood, obviously uncomfortable. 'Can I come in?' Jim stepped out of the way, still hiding the simple blade. 'I watched you chase after Imral. What happened?'

'Why would you care?'

'Just wondering why you're hunting the wrong people. Imral's not one of them.'

'Them? The board of enquiry?' Mermer raised his eyebrows.

'You have contacts somewhere?' Jim smiled slightly.

'I may.' He decided that Mermer wasn't a threat and put the knife away, but he certainly wasn't going to tell him about the telepathic link to his first officer, or of the fact that his crew had taken a captive. The nurse watched him with slight amusement.

'Understandable. That the best you got?'

'I wasn't chasing Imral because I wanted to harm him,' Jim said, ignoring the question. 'I wanted to ask a simple question. I … did ask a simple question. He didn't like it.'

'Would you have asked him about the board of enquiry?' Jim didn't buy that Mermer wanted to help. He had been less than cooperative before and had been completely unmoved by the dying woman in his office.

'Why are you here?' Mermer shrugged.

'I don't like what's happening here. Imagine that.' He stood close to Jim, too close for comfort. 'Look. People disappear. People die. Most of us just keep our heads down. This board isn't going to win anyway, they'll be dealt with eventually, and I intend to survive until then.' Jim raised his eyebrows.

'Well … actually, I don't know. I have to send a report of what's happening here. If I report that the situation is completely out of control, the Federation will have no interest in the planet. Sure, they'll intervene, but the board of enquiry would still win: The planet won't get into the Federation. The thing is, I'm starting to suspect that this entire mess is a plot, and not a plot spun by the humans or the Dariis. There's someone else involved. Someone who's neither, and I have no idea who or what they are.'

'I heard rumours that the board of enquiry is headed by a Vulcan, but I doubt that.' Jim frowned.

'Me too.'

'No-one has seen the head of the board. I think it's a human, it doesn't seem very much like the water dwellers. They're way too insipid to come up with a conspiracy.'

'Where does your contempt come from?' Mermer made a wide gesture.

'Look at this place! It's magnificent, a mark of what humans can create from virtually nothing. Have you seen how the Dariis live? In caves!'

'They don't need houses, Mermer. They have developed their own technology, and it's quite sophisticated. And this place is built with Dariian technology. Why does a man who thinks of the human race is so superior join Starfleet?' Mermer snorted.

'I'm not a Starfleet man. I'm a civilian, they offered me an interesting position at this place. It was educational, I'll give you that: I learned you can't trust anyone.' Jim decided not to dwell further on the matter.

'Is there anything you can do? Anything I can do?'

'You need to speak to someone with at least a clue. Imral had a foot in the board, half a mind to worm his way inside. He got scared before he could get in, but he knows a spy or two.' Mermer walked back towards the door. Before he left, he glanced back at Jim. 'Wait here. I'll see if I can get him to agree to meet you. It might take me a few hours to have him found.'

'Don't you dare harm him!' Jim said quickly. Mermer rolled his eyes and left without an answer.

ϡ

The crystals that spent light never stopped glowing. At night, the streets were just as bright as during the day. In the houses, and that included the brick building in which Jim lived, there were dark drapes that could be let down and pulled up, covering the crystals. That meant that the darkness was never quite complete, you could always see enough not to collide with anything if you walked around, but it was possible to sleep. The windows had shutters, too, so there was no disturbing light coming in from outside.

Jim had decided to go to sleep at 2200 hours. He might have to get up in the middle of the night, and he had to be fit the next day. Feeling rather unsafe, he had kicked a wedge-shaped thing from Bones's coffer under the door and placed his knife at the night stand. This way he would at least hear if someone tried to enter. Somehow, Jim actually managed to sleep, so when he did hear someone at his door, he had a head warning.

Never before had Jim felt he needed a spyhole. He stood still behind the door, the knife in his hand. He knew that unless they sent a group of well-trained assassins his chances of overwhelming an attacker were very good. He was young, he was fit, and he wasn't frightened. But butchering people with a knife was just crude, the fact that he was forced to even contemplate it making him sick.

'Kirk, are you in there?' Mermer's hushed voice demanded. Jim kicked the wedge out of the way and pulled the door open. 'I thought they'd taken you.' Mermer didn't sound overly distressed, it was really nothing more than the statement of a fact.

'Do you have something for me?'

'I have managed to convince Imral that you're not after him. He's willing to meet you. He wanted me for protection.' Judging from his tone, Mermer thought that was a ridiculous idea, and Jim had to agree. The fact that the man was talking to him now, in the dead of night, helping him meet someone in secret, was more than Jim would have expected of him.

'Thank you. When?'

'Now. Not that night offers much in terms of cover here, but at least most people are sleeping. Follow.' Contemplating the wisdom of this action, Jim stepped outside and allowed himself to be led to the pod station. 'Take this thing to the middle point, to where they can evade. They do that automatically if the pods would meet, but you can tell them to. Look inside, there's a lever.' Jim opened the pod and glanced inside. He had seen the lever when he had first travelled down here, but since they had been instructed to just get in, he hadn't given it much thought. 'Once you're in there, you flip the lever over to the right, because that's where the pod can go off the main track. You'll need to push hard, don't worry about breaking anything. You'll be brought to a maintenance point of sorts. Imral will be there. If not, I advise you to take the pod up to the island and never look back.' Jim wanted to tell Mermer that some people actually had a backbone, but he refrained. Instead, he got into the pod and started it towards the surface. The water around him was perfectly dark. When the pod veered off to the right with a screeching sound, Jim prepared, once again for a fight. The pod opened with a hiss, and he looked into a crystal-lit cavern with levers on one wall and little else.

'Captain Kirk, I apologise for my flight earlier.' Jim allowed himself a sigh of relief and left the pod. The Darii stood at the levers, waiting patiently.

'Imral, there's no need. I …'

'Not here. Please follow me, if you can bring yourself to trust a stranger in this place.' Jim smiled vaguely.

'It's not like I have a choice.' Imral stepped into the pod and turned the lever back before activating it. Quickly, they slipped out and closed it. The pod vanished into the dark, taking the only means of escape away. But behind the docking station, there was a blue button. Imral pushed it, and a door creaked open in a completely inconspicuous section of the wall. 'Now that's interesting.' He followed Imral through the door. Behind it, a stone path led away through what seemed to be solid rock. 'Where are we?'

'A system of caverns with several exits. It connects most of the maintenance stations near the Dome. They can be reached from here if access to the caverns through the water should be compromised.'

'If you breathe under water, why is this place dry?' Imral gurgled.

'It didn't used to be. We had to test our equipment for breathing in the dry air somewhere. We drained this place and constructed shields. We didn't want to have to travel up all the way to the surface to sit on a rock for hours.'

'The shields were constructed with the bacteria, I take it,' Jim said.

'Of course.' Imral halted at a junction of two passages. 'Here is as good a place as any. Let me tell you that no Darii ever agreed to participate in what the humans call the board of enquiry.' Jim raised his hands and looked left and right.

'Hang on, how do we know we're not overheard?' Imral gestured down the path.

'Do you see anyone? You don't hear much through the doors, and there is no-one in sight. Now about Doctor McCoy …' Jim pursed his lips.

'You have no clue where he is, I take it. Nentwych gave you the words you were to feed me. I know he's been taken away. I want to know where he is, and I want to know how I can get him back. I'd say preferably in one piece, but I can count that out already.' He turned away, facing the direction they had come from. This place, its people, all of it was a complete mystery to Jim. He took a deep breath. 'The question is, can you help me find him, Imral? Do you have anything, any idea, a hint, anything at all?' Slowly, the Darii walked around Jim to look into his eyes with a slightly dour expression.

'I don't know where they keep their captives. I would have needed your Doctor to treat people, humans and Dariis, that were drugged by the board. I also had a few people who were poisoned by something so horrible it kills within minutes. I hoped he'd have a cure for that, too.' Jim smiled sadly.

'The popular poison here is potassium cyanide, I was told. There is no antidote that is anywhere near fast enough, as far as I know.' Imral took that news stoically.

'Captain Kirk, if you wish to find your friend, you must infiltrate the board of enquiry. You can do that through Nentwych. She is … how do I say this?' Jim's patience was very limited.

'She is what, Imral?'

'I heard she joined the board for a male. A male who died quite long ago.'

'Long ago? Just how long has this board existed?' Imral shook his head.

'I don't know. But I know that he died over a year ago. There are rumours she's looking.'

'Brilliant.' It wouldn't be the first time for Jim to get what he needed by charming his way into someone's clothes and trust, but times had changed for him. He remembered T'Kray's words to him vividly, part of a speech that was as much a warning as it was an encouragement: He couldn't step out on Spock because he would cause the Vulcan very deep anguish. The truth was, he couldn't step out on Spock because he would hurt himself just as much. The thought to be with anyone else was sufficient to make him sick. Not that he'd necessarily have to go that far, but courting someone – anyone! – alone seemed beyond him, even for an ulterior motive. Anything else … 'I couldn't. I really think I physically couldn't,' Jim muttered. Imral tilted his head.

'Excuse me?' Jim shook his head.

'Thinking aloud. Thank you Imral, I'll … have to consider it.'

* * *

___((More Riven-theft. The hidden passage, the pods … If you've played Riven, you're aware of that, of course, and if you haven't, it makes no difference to you. Your loss, though.))_


	11. … Here Revenge Begins

_((Jessel's next line after that heading the previous chapter.))_

* * *

Spock entered the conference room briskly. Blanik was already there and Blau followed in his wake but Charika, whom he had told Blanik he wanted to be present as well, was nowhere. Spock sat down and looked at the two officers. 'Engineering, report,' he said curtly.

'Transport from the planet remains impossible. We cannot pinpoint a location precisely enough, God knows what would happen if we tried. Transporting to the surface is hazardous but possible. The dome has a few large open spaces where small imprecisions wouldn't be too problematic. Again, when beaming down, not up.' This was not the answer Spock had wanted to hear.

'What did Charika say?' Blanik sighed.

'He reckons he can do something, but …'

'Then why is he not here?' Blanik visibly steeled himself.

'Because the solution he offered is nothing more than blatant insanity.' Spock pressed the intercom button.

'Spock to engineering, Charika to the conference room.' He folded his hands on the table. 'We had this conversation, Blanik.'

'With all due respect …'

'We will hear what Charika has to say. That much is not open to debate, Lieutenant.' Blanik blanched slightly but remained quiet. Blau was studying her fingernails, obviously uneasy. Spock did nothing to disperse the discomfort and waited quietly until Charika entered.

Perhaps he was getting paranoid, but the young human seemed pale and thinner than was good for him. He would talk to him when the meeting was closed. T'Kray had mentioned that Charika was under too much pressure, but so far he had thought she was being over protective. A misjudgement, he realised. 'Please sit down,' he said. 'Charika, would it be possible to transport someone to or from the planet?' Charika's eyes flicked over to Blanik.

'No.' Spock closed his eyes for a moment, stifling a sigh.

'Is this your answer or that of your commanding officer?' Charika opened his mouth and closed it again. Spock's patience was reaching its limits, and that was saying something. They did not have time to waste in power games. 'You realise that the lives of the Captain and Doctor McCoy may very well depend upon what you have to tell me. If that makes no difference to you, remain silent.' He could as well have told him that in the end Blanik's opinion was completely unimportant if Spock's differed, but he thought that to reach Charika it would be better to appeal to his humanity. He had indeed learned a lot in all the decades. Charika fixed his eyes on Spock's and swallowed.

'That's … You know that's not true.' Spock leaned forward slightly.

'Then tell me what you can do.'

'I need to have the Relocators and make some changes. Small changes, I can do that in a few minutes. After that I need to connect them with the ship's computer. That is possible, but time consuming and because the Relocators are a lot more crude than Starfleet technology I need to reinvent the wheel, so to speak, for each one.'

'One moment, please.' Again, Spock pressed the intercom button. 'Bridge, security.'

'Doherty here, sir.'

'I want you to contact T'Kray and search the Captain's and Doctor McCoy's personal effects for their Relocators. T'Kray knows what they look like. I want hers as well.' If Doherty was surprised by that order, it didn't show.

'Affirmative, sir. I'll contact you once we have them.'

'Please continue,' Spock told Charika. The young man spoke a little more firmly when he did.

'Well, we need to know if there are any energy sources we can target. And they should be in a safe place, obviously.'

'How precise is that teleport?' Charika made a face.

'Not overly much, but it detects solid objects and avoids them when possible. If you tried to teleport into a solid iron cube of twenty cubic metres, you'd get stuck in it and die because the margin isn't that wide. It can avoid walls or furniture, though.'

'And teleporting back to the ship?'

'Difficult, but possible. The ship is an energy source, after all.'

'And the disturbances in the water would not interfere with the Relocator.' Charika grinned.

'No, sir, because we do not need to detect precise coordinates. The computer has trouble locating anything with great accuracy because of the interference. The Relocator detects the energy source all by itself, but its range is way too short for this. The computer gives us the direction and distance, the Relocator processes that information. And since the Relocators do have a few kilometres range, they can then use that data and target the energy source in the general area it was told. Transport to the ship would be somewhat more dangerous.' Spock nodded.

'How safe would that be?'

'Down, very safe. Up … well, you can imagine. We'd bring the people into the engine room. I mean, the largest open space is safe, and we can use the computer to control where they'd materialise, but still, I think a sickbay team should stand by before someone comes back up with the Relocators. If it can be avoided I'd recommend to do so.'

'Understood. In that case I ask you to set up the Relocators as soon as we have them, including my own and T'Kray's. I assume she will wish to follow me to the planet.' His eyes turned to Blau. 'Do we know why the integrity of the shield is compromised?' Blau glanced at her PADD for a moment.

'Yes, we could find that out. There are various factors that damage the bacteria. One of them is great heat over an excessive period of time. That explains why they recede from warmth. But the reason why the dome is no longer secure is in the water. The water is slightly contaminated with free chlorine. It's not enough to be harmful for a human, at least not near the dome, but it is noticeable for our instruments and harming the bacteria. When enough of them die, the cohesion is not strong enough any more and they breaches appear.'

'Where does the free chlorine originate?'

'We could locate a single place that releases it into the water, along with a few other, less worrisome chemicals. It is far away from the Dome. We're assuming that it's an unauthorised factory of some description or so.' She continued after a quick glance at her notes. 'We also found that there is more than one place with air. The second one seems to be a cave system. We assume that water was pumped out of it, because given the nature of the caverns they should be flooded. Another large bag of air is near the factory. The only reason why that second dome still exists is because the sea currents carry the chlorine away from it.'

'Is it possible that Doctor McCoy is being held in one of these places?' Spock asked.

'I would assume so. The only place that belongs to the Federation is the Dome. The Dariis wouldn't need air, so it must be humans that constructed whatever these places are. If there had been orders to do so we'd know. If building an additional … place of whatever kind had been their idea, they'd have had to get permission and we'd know that, too.' Spock nodded.

'Did you find an artificial energy source?' Blanik huffed, but Spock ignored him. For now.

'Two,' Blau answered. 'One is quite unstable. That's the communications centre. It's not used overly much, so we only get flares of it with periods of little to no activity. The second one is constant and the source of the chlorine. That's why we assume it's a factory. A part of it must be a generator, we think. But a generator alone wouldn't pour chemicals into the ocean.'

'Not likely,' Spock agreed. 'Blau, you may leave. Charika, please contact security. Have them give you the Relocators as soon as they have found them. I do not believe we have much time. Once you've reached them, wait for me outside the conference room, I will want to speak with you alone.'

'I want to go down with you.' Spock considered for a moment.

'No. The fewer we are, the better. Apart from that, I want you to monitor the teleport if you can. Now check back with security and see what they have to offer, then we can discuss other matters.' If Charika was disappointed, he didn't show it.

'Certainly.'

'Blanik, you stay here.' The Lieutenant pursed his lips and remained seated while Spock waited for the other two to leave. 'I am losing my patience with you. In the Captain's absence I am the commanding officer. Yours and Charika's. If I say that I require both of you here, you cannot ignore that and come alone. If I say that I will rely on Charika's invention, you have no way of forbidding it.'

'Permission to speak,' Blanik grated. Spock inclined his head. 'You're going to die, you and T'Kray, if you let these … these things carry you off into oblivion.'

'Blanik, my orders are not something I merely suggest for you to contemplate. I would be well within my rights to take disciplinary action against you. Instead, this is your last warning: Do not move another toe out of line with me if you wish your career to continue. Am I understood?' Blanik's answer was nothing more than a defiant grunt. Spock rose and leaned forward, placing his palms on the table and staring down at the sitting man. 'Am I understood, Blanik?' he repeated, his voice more quiet than before but laced with impatience. The man caved.

'Yes, sir.'

'Dismissed. Send Charika back in.' When Charika re-entered, Spock thought again that the young man looked timid.

'What do you require, sir?' he asked. Spock sighed inwardly.

'Please sit.' He waited until Charika did as he had told him, then looked straight at his face. 'This is not an interrogation, Charika. I merely wish to address something T'Kray pointed out to me. Are you under stress?'

'I've been under stress all the time on Dainam, I …' Spock shook his head, silencing Charika.

'I did not wish to insinuate that you cannot deal with a dangerous situation. I am trying to ask if there are external influences that complicate your work. In other words, is Lieutenant Blanik harassing you?' Charika swallowed and averted his gaze, studying his hands instead.

'He's not … he's not harassing me, Spock. He just … I don't know. I'm thinking if he'd had his way he'd have me far away from anything breakable. I don't know why.' Spock could have told Charika, but he was not going to lose him his innocence. The environment in which Charika was raised had left him completely unselfconscious. If Spock had any say in it, that was not going to change.

'You know that you can always approach T'Kray or myself if you feel that you are not treated fairly. I have told Blanik that I think very highly of you. Do not let him get under your skin, as the saying goes.' Charika turned his eyes back up at Spock.

'I … don't want him to get into trouble for me.' The Vulcan nodded.

'While that is commendable, this is not solely about yourself. A man who does not follow orders because he disagrees might cause a desaster in a dangerous situation. If he tries to remove you from the task I gave you, or if he gives you something else to do, you are to contact me.'

'Yes, sir.'

'When Jim and Leonard are back here, I want you to talk to T'Kray about all this. You have great potential and I do not want that ruined by a rogue engineer. Given his doubt of your abilities, Blanik may take my turning to you for help as a personal slight and in turn take his frustration out on you. Be prepared for that, and be prepared to ask for help if he does so.' Charika nodded minutely. 'Charika, this is important. Do I have your word?' Slowly, a smile formed on Charika's face.

'Yes, sir. You do. Thank you.'

ϡ

Jim had wondered for what reason he could approach Nentwych. The matter was taken out of his hands when the woman stood before his door the day after his meeting with Imral. When she had the gall to ask if Imral had been able to help, whatever his conscience had said about his plans was silenced. He shrugged and smiled. 'He said Doctor McCoy is buried so deeply in his work he must have forgotten.' Nentwych tilted her head.

'Is that like him?' Jim shrugged and decided to answer honestly.

'I wouldn't put it past him. He's a doctor first and anything else later. If there are people who need him all else has to wait, including his own needs.' He looked straight at her. 'He cares deeply for every living being. A one of a kind man.' He wondered if this woman was able to regret the man was captured and hurt or if she was too deeply buried in the twisted ideology of the board of enquiry. Which brought him to his plan. 'Would you like to come in? I've been thinking about a few things and would like to share my thoughts with you.'

'Of course, Captain, what can I do for you?' He busied himself in the kitchen area, preparing one of the few drinks he had the ingredients for, thanks to the small window farm he had discovered. Doing it felt like a knife was being twisted in his stomach. If he were here, Bones would hover next to him, telling him he was doing it all wrong. He pushed the thought aside.

'This is … actually a personal matter,' he said offhandedly. 'You can call me Jim.' As if catching himself off guard, he spun to face her, looking slightly apprehensive. 'I … do not mean to be overly familiar. I hope you don't mind.' A small chuckle came from Nentwych.

'Not at all. Maria, then.' A slow smile formed on Jim's face and he handed her the light amber coloured liquid. Jim pulled up a chair so he sat across her and cradled his own glass in his hands.

'That question may come as a surprise, but … why do the water dwellers want to join the Federation?' She blinked.

'That sounds like business to me,' she told him with a slight grin.

'It would, at first glance. But this is not something I'll want in any report. The thing is … I can see Two's point, and I'd have expected the majority of a society like the one of the Dariis to have reservations against joining.'

'You explained yourself why joining the Federation would be an advantage.' Jim nodded slowly.

'Yes, I did, because that is what I was sent to do, Maria. I am not that convinced, myself.' He lowered his voice. 'Look. If I report that the Dariis have doubts and are not entirely sure this is what they want, no-one's going to pressure them. I am wondering if that wouldn't be better.' Nentwych took a sip of her drink.

'That … what is that? It's good.'

'A mint julep. A speciality of our good Doctor, if you want.'

'Interesting. Well … Your points in favour of joining the Federation are, of course, valid for a planet that guards its resources. The only thing is … The Dariis wouldn't resist pirates. The resources sought by your people or any other organisation, legal or criminal, are of little to no value to the Dariis, or available in such abundance that pirates wouldn't be much more than a pest.' Jim couldn't tell if that was true, but it sounded likely enough.

'And Two's resistance is born from fear of being forced into a military setting. If that's the case, how can he consider Romulans as a better option? What gave him the idea to begin with?' A frown creased Nentwych's forehead.

'You know … I have no idea.' Jim realised with a pang that this, at least, was honest. He was good at reading people. This entire conversation had been a farce on both sides. He didn't think she suspected anything of the sort, but to him her dishonesty had been like a beacon. He had spent too much time with diplomats and brass not to notice. But that question was something she had asked herself, and she didn't seem to have an answer. 'I wonder what …' She fell silent quickly, and Jim leaned forward, well into her personal space.

'Maria … this isn't going to leave this room.' Steeling herself, she looked back at Jim.

'Romulans … Jim, they're far away from here. Of all the things Two could have said … I wonder if these were his own thoughts.' Jim swirled the liquid in his glass, eyes fixed on one of the mint leaves.

'Could you try and find out, Maria? Maybe there's someone with an ulterior motive manipulating one side, whichever it turns out to be. Is that conceivable at all?' For a moment, Jim wondered if he had gone too far when she scrutinised his face. But then she sighed.

'Jim … this place isn't what it used to be. You should leave.'

'I can't. I've got to wait for Doctor McCoy.'

'Of course. I'll tell … I will tell Imral that he needs to go.' Jim reached out, touching her forearm.

'Maria, help me out here. What's going on? Can I help?' She swallowed.

'No. I'll see about McCoy. Be ready to leave, tell the Federation to give this place up as a bad job, and don't look back.'


	12. Day by Day the Bars we Break

_((The chapter heading is a line Jessel and Quint share. And oh God, how did this get so dark? I really thought _Water_ would be pretty light-hearted, and Bones would sit safely as a well-tended to prisoner in a small office, growling but never in any danger.))_

Chapter 12

_Day by __D__ay the __B__ars we __B__reak_

The call from Doherty had come, and Spock and T'Kray had handed their Relocators in addition to Jim and Leonard's to Charika. Now the human would have to connect them to the ship's computer while Blau was instructed to find a way to stop the shield from being compromised further. The day was drawing to a close, and Spock was back in his quarters to speak with Jim. He had sensed some unease from him and had to admit that he was worried.

Spock had barely prepared to make contact when he felt the warmth of Jim's mind, gentle and sweet but aching with something he couldn't quite pinpoint. _Are you all right, T'hy'la?_ The answer wasn't a verbal one, just a sense that yes, his bondmate was well.

_Spock, I need to tell you something and I don't know how._ That was a strange statement that would never have come from a Vulcan. Their link was telepathic, so when words eluded Jim, he could just convey what he meant. This, however, was still very difficult for the human and something he only did by accident. Spock told him as much. What followed was a sequence of impressions, thoughts, and a trace of fear, revolving around the human representative of the Dariis on the planet. Jim's hope to get into the board of enquiry through her was transmitted along with an idea how that might be done. And Spock understood the underlying fear. He interrupted the incoherent stream of information.

_Jim, do you believe I think so little of you?_ When there was no answer to that, Spock continued. _I trust you fully. I would not have bonded with you otherwise. You will not hurt me._

_No. Spock, there's something else. An hour ago or so Nentwych told me the descent is broken._ A cold hand closed around Spock's heart. _Is there any chance that you can do something to stop this?_

_The science department is working on a solution … and I will join them. Charika is connecting the Relocators to the ships computer so we can use them to bring you and Leonard back up. Jim, be careful, whatever you do._ He hesitated, but then almost against his own volition the thought was transmitted. _I cannot lose you._

_You won't lose me. I'm tough to kill._ Spock had no answer to that. He knew this was meant to be humorous, but he was too concerned to appreciate it.

_Jim I mean it. I cannot lose you. I cannot._ He steadied himself, pushed his fear aside. _I need you to do something for me. I will require an artificial source of energy where you are._

_I guess … I guess I can do that … I would have thought communications centre, but that's out of reach now the pods aren't working. There's a strong generator near here, too. Any idea when you'll need that?_

_I will let you know in time. Do not go far away from the place._ He considered keeping the next bit to himself, but then he decided against it. _There is another generator in a place away from the dome. We assume that Leonard may be near it. If you find yourself in the vicinity of a factory that belongs to the board of enquiry, we do not need a separate signal. But please try to be near one of these two._

_Why do you need a source of energy down here?_ This time, Spock was not going to give the whole truth.

_We will then be able to target you._ Jim didn't ask further, obviously assuming he meant for transport up or to transport down the Relocators. _Please be very careful, Jim. If this woman realises what you are doing she may try to harm you. Do not let her._

_What, harm her first?_

_If you must. I promise you I will make great haste._ The mental equivalent of a sigh was transmitted.

_Spock, about the Dome … Speed up the science department. You can get me and Bones to safety with Charika's magic, but the rest of them … _Spock knew that Jim was right, of course. There were two thousand people down there. The thought that they all would be swallowed by the ocean was terrible to a Vulcan who valued life almost above everything.

_I am certain Blau is doing everything she can. But I will remind her of the urgency of the matter._

_Good. I miss you, you know._ It had only been a few days, but Spock had to admit that the telepathic contact wasn't quite the same. Vulcans lay almost completely still when they slept, but Jim didn't, and sometimes Spock woke up when Jim moved. He hadn't told Jim that because he didn't want him to worry. The truth was, he enjoyed it. He enjoyed slipping out of sleep to find his human shifting against him, always snuggling closer than he had been before. He enjoyed burying his nose in Jim's hair and inhaling his scent. He enjoyed what happened when that woke Jim up in turn. Yes, he missed Jim, too. He put all the affection he had into their link and felt Jim's smile.

_Not for long, T'hy'la._ After withdrawing from the meld, Spock contemplated reminding Charika of the urgency of his objective. After a moment, he thought better of it. Charika knew how important this was, and he was desperate to help Leonard McCoy. Back on the planet Dainam, Leonard had gone far beyond his duty to save the critically injured man, and Charika was deeply grateful. He now had a chance to return the favour, and there was no doubt that he was thrilled about that fact.

So rather than pressuring Charika, Leonard headed to the science department. At this time, it was all but deserted. Blau's shift must have ended hours ago, only a young woman sat at a desk with her eyes half closed. When Spock entered, she jerked upright. 'When does your shift end, ensign?' he asked her.

'In half an hour, sir.'

'You may go. I do not require assistance.'

'Thank you, sir. The …' She fell silent and flushed crimson.

'Do you have a question?' Looking at her feet, the woman shook her head. He could well imagine what she was going to say: That the projects were delicate and to be handled with care. He had worked in the science department long enough to know that this was something you said to someone who was not part of your department and who might start messing around with your things. Rank did not matter much in those moments. It was actually part of regulations: If the scientists left someone else alone with their projects, they had to point out that things might be dangerous. Everyone on this ship, however, knew that Spock was a scientist and that the only reason why he was not head of the department was his position as executive officer. 'I am aware that you have to warn me. Your concern for the safety of my person and the work of your department is duly noted. Do you know if Blau found anything?'

'We … we're close to a solution. It's a bit difficult because the water's not like normal ocean water. I had an idea, an hour ago, and ran a test. But it'll take a while. It's all there in the files.' Spock eyed the young human and it struck him how easy it was to underestimate these people. She looked young and small and almost like an adolescent. But this was a scientist, not a child.

'What is your name, Ensign?'

'Nita Daran, sir.'

'Go to sleep. If that experiment of yours turns out to be or lead to the solution I will make sure it goes into your record.' If anything, she looked even more intimidated. Spock allowed himself an expression of mild amusement. 'There is no reason to be afraid of me, Ensign Daran.'

'I … I'm not afraid. I just … I didn't expect to speak to a legend when I signed up for this mission.'

'And now you have three legends to deal with. You will find that we are no different to other Vulcans or humans.' Chances were he was the first Vulcan she met, but then again, the differences between the two species were marginal. Not that most Vulcans would like to hear that. It seemed that his words had calmed her a little, because she smiled.

'Thank you, sir. Good night.'

ϡ

When T'Kray woke up in the middle of the night, she wasn't sure why. A glance at the chronometer told her it was 2312 hours. While Vulcans generally had better night vision than humans, the dark was so complete that even her senses couldn't pick up anything except for the digits on the clock. She had a strange, ominous feeling, the way it might be if someone stood on a frozen lake, unsure of the thickness of the ice underfoot.

The picture made her frown. This wasn't something out of her mind. _Leonard?_ she ventured without much hope. She got no answer, not directly, only a sense of futility. _Try and talk to me._

_It's not working._ Unable to help herself, T'Kray smiled.

_But it is, I can hear you! Lenkam, where are you? Talk to me!_ The sense of futility deepened painfully.

_I don't know where I am. You'll be too late. I can hardly think straight. I'm aching all over. I don't have much time left._

_What is your condition?_ T'Kray asked, pushing her fear away.

_Critically dehydrated. I'm in a cavern of some sort, no idea where. There's a pod station here, and some levers on the wall. I don't have water. Tried to drink salt water to slow the process, but the truth I'm dying._ He didn't seem panicked by that thought, and T'Kray was filled with admiration for the stoicism with which Leonard faced this fact. For all his growling when life was good, in extreme situations he was the bravest man one could imagine. Right now, she wished she could say the same for herself.

_Don't you dare give up yet. We'll come down so soon, Len. We'll find you and get you up here and help you._

_Soon? T'Kray, I don't think I have another 24 hours. What will happen if I die here? To you, I mean._ T'Kray really didn't want to think about that, but not answering wasn't an option.

_Whatever happens, don't shield, I beg you. If you don't shield I'll sense you even if you're unconscious, and maybe I can help you cling to your life or find you more easily. If you … if you die, I can lock the part of you that I have with me in my soul._ A sense of confusion came from Leonard.

_Like what Spock did to me?_ She smiled. It was intensely painful.

_No. I cannot take your katra. Only a fraction of it, the one I have since our bonding. A sense of you being there with me. Something to guide me to you when I go._

_So Vulcans believe in an afterlife?_

_We believe that something of us survives. But that doesn't give me comfort now, Len. Promise me to fight._ Something changed. The ice gave, but not under her. It was Leonard who was slipping under the surface. The contact didn't break but the deliberateness of his thoughts was gone. He was unconscious, and this time he wouldn't wake without help.

ϡ

Reading through the files started by Blau and continued by Ensign Nita Daran, Spock decided that the young woman deserved a letter of commendation. Her experiment had run its course. All they had to do was add the chemical to the water near the dome. It would take twelve hours for the shield to reform, but with the Relocators they wouldn't need the pods. The door slid open and T'Kray entered, her face slightly drawn. 'How far are we?' she asked without preamble.

'I expect Charika to be finished with his work tomorrow.' T'Kray nodded curtly.

'We have just run out of time. Leonard has lost consciousness from dehydration.' Spock's lips opened slightly and for one moment he wondered if this could still end well at all. If the man was already comatose they had to be very fast.

'Are you certain?'

'I had contact with him before he slipped. Spock, he's going to die.' For one moment, hours ago, he had wanted to give up, to get Jim out of there and leave. The certainty of imminent loss etched into T'Kray's features roused something inside him, perhaps something more human than Vulcan: a sense of defiance, of refusal to sit back and let things happen. He strode over to her and did something that was definitely more human than Vulcan: He grabbed her shoulders and stared at her.

'No. He is not. We will find him, we will bring him back up here, and he will receive the necessary treatment.' Spock let go of her. 'He has one advantage: You are a Vulcan. The moment we reach him, you can meld with him, make him drink something, a little at least, even if he is unconscious. No one is dying.' Leaving her there, he walked quickly to the medical department. He found a nurse and instructed her to prepare in advance whatever was needed to treat severe dehydration.

Spock was back in his quarters when the computer chimed. This could only be Charika. He rushed to the console. 'Spock here.' Charika's face appeared on the screen, looking tired but distinctly triumphant.

'One done, three to go. Now I've worked it out I'll be quicker.'

'When will it be finished?'

'I'll prepare everyting and let the computer do the rest. I'll check the data tomorrow. So … around 1000 hours I should be all done, I guess.' Spock nodded curtly.

'Good. Time is of the essence.'

'I'll try and make it faster, but I've got to double check. Too dangerous otherwise.' Spock pursed his lips.

'Understood. Do what you can and then sleep, Charika. Sleep deprivation doesn't improve accuracy.' The same was true for himself, but sleep eluded Spock, once again, so he lit the firepot and sat cross-legged on the floor. Peace was slow to come, but in the end, it did.

The purpose of this meditation was not so much finding rest but adding the final touches to a plan: He would ask Jim to activate the power source. Spock and T'Kray would transport into the Dome. Together, they would find Leonard McCoy, pods or no pods.

The main problem was that they had no real idea where Leonard was. This they had to find out. If Jim did not manage to winkle that bit out of Nentwych, finding him could prove very difficult. It occurred to Spock that T'Kray might be tempted to force the information from someone. He would keep this in mind. Spock would prefer if that could be avoided. To his own surprise, Spock realised that if there was no other way, he found the idea to coerce one of the board of enquiry into revealing where McCoy was more acceptable than letting the man die. He would have to contemplate that attitude later.

_When Leonard was safely aboard the ship, there remained a few other things they had to do: to find out who was behind the board of enquiry; to find out if allowing Driin into the Federation was really a good idea; if not allowing them would be even worse, because the culprits would get what they wanted. That last was not his decision, nor Jim's. __What he and T'Kray had to focus on were the two humans, currently trapped under the surface of the vast oceans of Driin. They were both in danger, but the immediacy of the threat to McCoy's life made it difficult to remain calm and composed. To T'Kray it must be infinitey worse, and to Jim as well. Spock had no delusions: If McCoy were to die, they would all emerged scarred with a vital part of them missing. __And for the first time since the Doctor had been abducted, Spock forced himself to face that this time, it might come to that._


	13. Cheat the Careful Watching Eyes

_((This chapter heading is from Quint and Jessel's duet again. It actually makes sense in two ways.))_

* * *

When Jim was contacted by Spock in the morning, he knew that there would be bad news. Since he had expected him to ask for a power source soon, he wondered if the manner in which Spock opened their link was different or if he was becoming so attuned to him he just sensed such subtle things. He didn't have time to ponder it. He learned that in a short time, Spock would need that power source. He also learned that Bones was unconscious and dying.

The former wouldn't be a problem. He knew where the generator was, and it wasn't guarded. Nothing here was guarded, since no outsider got to be here, really. It would be an advantage for him.

After the contact was over, Jim sat paralysed for a few moments. He felt as if something dark inside him took over control when he left the place he had come to hate and made his way to where Nentwych lived. He knocked the door, and when she opened, he pushed his way inside, his glare full of a cold fury that made her retreat into a wall, wide-eyed and scared. 'I tried to get you to tell me the truth,' he said. His voice sounded strange even to him, dark and threatening and with barely controlled rage. 'I tried to do this nicely. But I've run out of time, Nentwych, I cannot afford patience any more.' When she tried to dodge him, Jim grabbed her arm, hard enough to bruise.

'Please, let me go,' she breathed, tears forming in her eyes. For some reason they only added to his anger. He steered her to a chair and bodily sat her down.

'We're all going to die.' He knew that the scientists had worked out a way to stabilise the bacteria, but he wasn't going to tell Nentwych that. 'Whether you spill it or not, we're all dead. I want to know what happened to Doctor McCoy.'

'I thought you actually liked me,' she said in an accusatory voice. 'You played me false!'

'You've got some nerve! You help in abducting my friend and CMO and wonder that I try everything in my power to find out where he is?'

'I had no hand in his abduction!' she said emphatically.

'I don't care if you whacked him over the head or if someone else did! He's not with Imral, and he's seriously hurt. And I need to find him now.'

'It won't help, you can't get him out.'

'If I can't I want to be with him at least.' He ran a hand down his face, realising that unless they were very lucky that would indeed be all he could do. 'If it makes no difference, tell me where he is. I'll leave when I can and tell the Federation that an alliance with Driin is out of question. They'll order you to return, but if you refuse there's only so much anyone can do.'

'We'll drown, Jim.' He looked at her and nodded slowly.

'Very likely. But as long as I'm not dead, I refuse to give up.' He sat down across her. 'Maria … is this really something you want to support? Do you … do you honestly believe that taking a kind and warm and completely innocent man captive, maiming him, and leaving him for dead can be justified?' She licked over her lips and looked away. 'I don't think you do. Are you so afraid? What will happen to you if you help me? Will you be force-fed potassium cyanide?'

'You know about that?' She frowned. 'You know a lot I don't get. How do you?'

'I'm the Captain of a Starship. I've got to know things, and when I don't, I've got to know where to get the missing information.' He tipped a finger to his head. 'I'm not of the three dumbest heads in Starfleet, either, I'll tell you.'

'And modest.' He smiled wearily.

'That, too.' He leaned forward. 'Help me. Help me out here, and I swear I'll protect you.' Her watery eyes fixed on Jim.

'Any chance you may like me one day?' Jim sighed.

'I'm taken.' He frowned slightly. 'I don't understand this. My first officer and my CMO said that the Dariis are so very peaceful. And yet, this has happened. How? How can the Dariis do this if they are the gentle beings those two men thought they are?'

'Because … Captain, I do not think I can.'

'Maria, the life of my friend depends on what you tell me now. I will try all I can to help him, and the more I know the better his chances. And my chances, too.' Slowly, she looked back at him.

'It's not the Dariis. There is someone … I mean, it was at first. But then, only a short while ago, Tilak came.'

'Tilak! But that's a Vulcan name.' Jim even knew a Vulcan named Tilak. He had been on the Cristóbal de Morales space station. He had been transferred towards the end of their stay. The young man had been very … well … Vulcan. There was no way he could be involved. Jim made a mental note to ask Spock what the chances were of two Vulcans of the same name running around in the quadrant. He also kept in mind that the name of the Tilak here might be fake.

'I couldn't say. I don't know that many Vulcans. Or any, really.'

'Do you know where they'd keep a captive?'

'We cannot reach there.' She gestured towards a window. In the distance, a constant dribbling of water like rain could be seen over a single building. 'The pods could have brought us there, but they aren't functional any more.' Jim rubbed a hand over his face, rose and walked over to stare outside.

'Which genius dreamt this up anyway? Only one means of escape, and when that's compromised you're all trapped. No second descent … hang on. There was a second descent on the island. Where does that go?' Nentwych stared at Jim.

'There is only one descent.' He frowned.

'No. There were two, Spock said. One on the opposite side of the island.'

'Well, we sure didn't build it.'

'Wait.' Jim activated his communicator. 'Kirk to Bridge.'

'Bridge here, Captain.' He had hoped to hear Spock's deep voice, but it was Blau who answered.

'Remember the island? There were two descents, one on the south-west side and one on the north-west.'

'Affirmative, Captain.'

'I took the south-west one to come down here. Can you find out for me where the other one leads and if it is still intact?'

'Certainly, sir. I'll contact you.'

'Thank you.' Eyes still staring out of the window, Jim sighed. 'Assume for a moment that I can reach where my friend is. Just assume it. If I could, where would I have to look?'

'In a control room for the pods. They're used very rarely, this one never.'

'What sort of control room?'

'You can activate or deactivate pod stations there. If you deactivate them, they're flooded and cannot be used.'

'Where is that place? Near the factory your board of enquiry has?' She gaped at him. 'I told you I know a lot.' Nentwych swallowed.

'Yes. Near there. Reached by a separate pod system that might still work.'

'The one with the north-west station up at the island.' She merely nodded. Jim's communicator beeped.

'Yes,' he said simply, wondering if Blau had managed to find his answer so quickly.

'Spock here, Captain. Are you able to activate the generator?' Jim cast a sideways glance at Nentwych.

'I need just a few minutes, Spock. Does Blau have an answer yet?'

'I did not know that you asked her a question. My shift ended an hour ago. But I can ask …'

'No, you don't need to,' Jim said quickly. 'I got the answer elsewhere. Be ready, Spock.' Taking a deep breath, Jim stood before Nentwych, less than an arm's length away. 'You'll go with me to the generator. I'll throw it on full power and …'

'No!' Her yes went wide with shock. 'You can't! The generator heats the mesh of the dome, if you put it on full power the bacteria will die. All of them.' Jim swore.

'Can the mesh be disconnected?'

'Yes. For a short time.'

'Do you know how?' Nentwych smiled grimly.

'Sure.'

'Then do it. I need that generator on full.'

'Why?'

'Just do it!'

'Not with out an explanation.' She took another step towards him, her face inches from his. 'You fooled me, and now you demand that I trust you unconditionally. Well, I don't. Explain, and I'll see if I help you. Don't, and I do nothing.' He didn't want to tell her why. He didn't want to reveal that he had an ace up his sleeve. He didn't want to mention the Relocators or how they worked and what he planned to do. But he knew people, and Nentwych wouldn't budge. Concern and desperation won out over his reservations.

'Very well,' he said quietly and sat back down. 'We have a device … or devices that can be used to transport people to another place. They target a strong artificial energy source.'

'How would you get these devices?'

'They're armbands, like antique wrist watches. I assume they will loop them together and use one to bring the other.'

'Just two?'

'Just two that will be brought here. For me and Doctor McCoy.'

'Bring three and I'll help you.' Jim hesitated for a moment, then he resigned.

'Kirk to Covenant … Mr Spock please.' Zh'rane answered before transmitting him to wherever Spock was. 'Spock … Professor Nentwych says that the generator will overheat the mesh if I put it on full power, and I believe her. She offered help to change the settings, but I had to tell her why I need the heat. Her … condition for helping is that I bring a third Relocator. Is that possible?' There was a moment of hesitation before Spock answered.

'It is, Captain.' Jim had a feeling that there was something the Vulcan wasn't telling him, but at the moment, he really didn't want to know. If he didn't ask, he'd just tell Nentwych his answer without having to invent a lie.

'Thank you,' he said and closed the connection. 'We'll have an additional Relocator. Now can we go?'

ϡ

If Jim thought how the entire place had seemed days ago when he had first arrived and how it felt now, he thought even if he and Bones hadn't been dragged right into the entire mess, he'd notice things were wrong. Not because the whole ground was shining wet. Not because only a few people were on the streets. Not even because one of them hurried away when he saw Nentwych. The entire atmosphere seemed tense and fearful.

Of course, the water itself was a threat, but it was something more subtle than that. A fear of something unknown rather than the real danger. Maybe they thought the board was going to kill them all by destroying the shield. 'Maria, just how many people know about the board of enquiry?' She looked at him, sizing him up.

'Well, I believe almost everyone here.'

'You're worse than the Mafia.'

'The what?'

'Historic criminal organisation. Brutal. Murderous. Threatening innocent people.' He watched her from the side and saw her lips tighten. He wished he were less ambiguous about her, but he just couldn't be certain. Jim really wanted to believe that Nentwych had just slipped into the board and didn't dare antagonise them now. However, maybe she was one of the big fish. He couldn't tell, and it was making him more angry than anything else.

'Sounds like it,' she said at last. Again, he had to remind himself that it might be an act.

'Do people know you're part of the board?'

'Some guess so, I should think.' He nodded and concentrated on the bond with Spock.

_Do me a favour and send a phaser too._

_I intended to,_ Spock let him know. Jim smiled. Although the Vulcan abhorred killing, he'd sooner do that than let anything harm Jim, and this wasn't a recent development. It really shouldn't have taken him so long to realise what Spock really felt for him. But this thought was moot. They had each other now, and they practically had a lifetime.

'The generator is in there.' Jim followed Nentwych's gesture to an inconspicuous concrete structure. It was little more than a cube with no windows.

'Pretty,' he commented, and she snorted.

'Isn't it? One of the most beautiful places we have here.' Her face turned serious. 'Captain … you must think I'm a coward. To make you bring me a means of escape. To abandon everyone here.'

'I don't intend to linger myself,' he said. Of course, he was almost certain that the scientists would find a solution for the problem in time. Starfleet's heads were usually brilliant. He just wished it was the science department of his old Enterprise. He'd known them all, had eaten with them, had laughed with them, and had known that he could rely on them completely. That sort of trust was something he still had to build with this crew. Following Nentwych inside, Jim prepared to knock her out as soon as the requested items were transported down. He wasn't going to give her a Relocator unless she proved trustworthy – however she might do that. And he most certainly wouldn't give her a chance to grab the phaser.

'So. This lever closes down the connection to the mesh. How long will you need the power on full?'

'Not long.'

'It can't be more than two minutes or the shield will suffer. In its current condition, that's not a good thing.'

'Indeed. Kirk to Covenant … Mr Spock please.'

'Spock here.'

'How long will you need the power?'

'Only a moment.'

'Good. Maria, turn off the mesh.' He hoped fervently that she wasn't playing a trick on him, but he had no other option than to believe her. Her shock at his suggestion to turn the generator up to full power had looked genuine, and he doubted she was that good an actor.

'Full power?' she asked and he nodded. She pushed a green button that was labelled POWER CAP and it instantly turned red.

'Spock, is this helping?'

'One moment please … Ah, yes. Please do not wait longer than five seconds after I cut the connection. Do not risk the Dome. Spock out.' Jim waited ten seconds, but nothing happened. Since Spock had told him that the Relocator wasn't as precise as a transporter and that the things would be in an open area, he expected them to be outside. Nentwych of course didn't know that. He pushed the button again and then turned the lever back up.

'Maria, I apologise.'

'It didn't work?' Taking that question as a clue, he spun and looked around, searching

'Looks like it,' he said. He stepped into her personal space and placed a hand on her shoulder. 'Maybe this particular technology isn't as good as I hoped.' She nodded in agreement, not expecting the precise punch that sent her into dreamland. Without another glance at her, Jim darted outside. He had to find the requested items.


	14. Lost in My Labyrinth

_((A line from the Governess.))_

* * *

Spock arrived on the planet surface with a sense of intense relief. 'I wonder if this is how our good doctor feels about transporters,' he said softly. T'Kray shook her head.

'Oh no. What he has to deal with is nothing either of us is familiar with.' She looked around the large open square. 'Where's the Captain?'

'I do not know.' Jim would be somewhere, but all he expected were the requested items. Spock hadn't told him that they intended to come. He spun around, trying to determine which of the buildings was most likely to house a generator.

'Spock,' T'Kray said sharply. He turned and looked at the block of concrete she indicated. Not that he needed her gesture. A smile almost made its way to his face when he saw Jim on the threshold, looking rather stunned. He crossed the short distance quickly, but Jim spoke first.

'You're a sight for sore eyes, Spock, but I'd rather you'd stayed on the ship as I told you.'

'You can, of course, press charges for insubordination.' Jim's lips twitched.

'Sure. And have you taken away from me. I'll punish you myself.' Putting a hand on Spock's arm, he steered him away from the doorway. 'Why did you come?'

'You wanted Relocators and a phaser. They need a minimum weight to transport.' Jim nodded.

'All right. And T'Kray?'

'We need to find Leonard. Now.'

'Yes,' Jim said. 'Do we have any leads?'

'The last thing he told me was that he's in a natural cavern with levers,' T'Kray said.

'Cavern with levers … Oh! Maintenance station!' Spock raised his eyebrows. 'There are a few of them … All I know is he should be near the other power source.'

'Then we can take a Relocator there and …'

'No,' T'Kray said quietly. 'James, where is your woman?'

'She's not my woman by any definition,' Jim said darkly. 'She's in there, I had to knock her out.'

'Someone needs to figure out what exactly is behind this entire mess. I … I want to find Leonard alone.'

'T'Kray …'

'I still sense something of him, but he's fading so quickly now. Please. If we are too late, I want to be alone with him.' It was insane but the sort of thing Jim would be able to relate to.

'Go, but be safe. And … even if it is too late, bring him back to the ship.' She nodded, manipulated something on her Relocator and was gone with a popping sound. 'My God, what if it's too late?' Despair flared through their bond. Spock put both hands on Jim's shoulders before pulling him into a hug.

'I wish I could promise you that we are not, but I do not know.' He felt Jim nod against his chest and released him. For once, he didn't care that they were in a public place. He leaned down and brushed his lips over Jim's. 'We need to wake Nentwych and persuade her to help us.'

'Maybe she will. Unless she's mad at me.'

ϡ

T'Kray materialised in an enclosed space. A constant humming sound filled the air, in addition to the constant buzz of talk. She drew her phaser and backed into a nearby structure. The square room looked like a distillery to her. Pipes ran along the walls and huge copper kettles were suspended above her. The roof was held by ugly concrete columns, one of which she used as a cover. So far, the workers, whatever they were doing hadn't noticed her, since they stood with their backs to her at a conveyor band or sat at computer screens, numbers flitting across them in a gibberish that held meaning only for these people. A metal tube nearby spoke of a pod station.

Of the workers, two were close to her, bent over a barrel. She approached with caution, ready to fire at any moment. When she reached him, she nerve-pinched one of the men and put her phaser to the back of the other. He stiffened immediately but remained silent. 'Stand,' she ordered in a whisper, and he obeyed without question. 'Hands behind your head, move slowly. Turn with me. One fast movement and you are dead.' Not that she thought he would try anything, given the man's shocked expression. Getting to the pod station unseen would be completely impossible, so she had to take a different approach. When T'Kray stood facing the conveyor bands she took a deep breath. 'Attention please,' she shouted, and all eyes were on her. 'Get into that corner.' She gestured to the end furthest from the pod station. 'Huddle as close as you can. Don't move towards me or you die.' The silence was replaced by the sound of about twenty people starting to talk simultaneously. 'Silence!', she barked while backing away to the pod station with her captive. 'Bring a pod.' Shaking, he put one of the pearls onto its place. Spock had explained how they functioned before they had come down to the planet. Since Leonard was in one of the caverns used for maintenance, she should be able to reach him from here. 'How many maintenance stations are connected to this place?'

'J...just one.' His voice was shaking as if he were close to tears. T'Kray felt for him, but she had no time for being nice.

'You'll come with me. If you bring me to the wrong place, you die.' She took a moment to listen to the bond. There was no thought, not even a dreamlike state, just the faint hum of a fading mind. T'Kray had to use all her control not to run amok as it was.

ϡ

'Orders, Captain?' Jim looked up at Spock.

'I should say go back to the ship.'

'I will, if you order me. However, I would prefer to remain at your side.' Jim swallowed.

'I'm so glad to see you, I can't even tell you. I'm not sending you away.' He looked back towards the concrete building. 'We've got to … I don't know. We've got to get Nentwych to help us.'

'Agreed. We should at least attempt it.' Jim headed inside with the Vulcan in his wake. Spock brushed past him to the woman on the floor. He contemplated her for a moment as she lay in the recovery position. 'I hope she does not hold your action against you.'

'I didn't know you'd be coming,' Jim said with a shrug. 'Here's not a good place for what could be a loud conversation.' Nodding agreement, Spock picked Nentwych up.

'Please lead the way to a safer location.' Hurrying before the Vulcan, Jim brought him to Nentwych's home. 'Can this place be locked?'

'I don't think.' Sighing, Spock placed Nentwych on a couch. She was stirring. 'You have a phaser for me?' Spock handed the requested item over, and Jim set it on stun. After Nentwych had blinked the confusion from her eyes, she looked first at him and then at Spock.

'What?' she asked simply. 'Who …'

'Lieutenant Spock, first officer of the U.S.S. Covenant,' the Vulcan supplied.

'I'm sorry, Maria. I didn't know that the Relocator would come with an entourage. I couldn't risk you taking a phaser.' She nodded slowly.

'I … understand your reservations. Can I go to your ship now?' Jim pursed his lips.

'I'm afraid not. But we still need your help. I want to see your Tilak.' Spock's eyebrows darted up, but he didn't comment on it. 'I want to know if it's the same one we had on the station. I was going to ask you how likely that is.'

'Highly. Vulcan names are usually unique. Unless Tilak is not his actual name.'

'That's about as far as I'd got. Good. Anyway, get him to come here. I don't know how. But I need to see him.'

'I can't,' Maria said quietly. 'I mean … I really can't. I don't know how to contact him. Two does.'

'Then get Two.'

'But … your friend …'

'Is not mine to save,' Jim interrupted, being vague on purpose. Nentwych didn't have to know everything. 'Will you do as you say?'

'What do you want to do?'

'I want to take Tilak and bring him to a court. I want to see him tried and sentenced. I want him to pay for every single man or woman who died of potassium cyanide or torture.' He fell silent and balled his fists. When he continued, his voice war rough with emotion. 'I want him to pay for my friend.'

ϡ

When T'Kray stepped out of the pod her tenuous hold on her discipline threatened to slip. The man next to her went green the instant he got out of the pod. She couldn't blame him. The air smelled of stale vomit and other things. Small wonder, but still hard to stomach.

The figure curled up with his face against the wall wasn't stirring. 'Do you have these little pearls for the pods?' she asked the worker.

'Y…yes.'

'Are you going to be killed for being abducted by me?'

'I don't know.' She sighed.

'I am sure my Captain will try and end this horror entirely, but I cannot help you. I am sorry. I advise you to take the pod to the surface and find the other pod station there. Go down to the dome and hide.' She put her hand on his neck and squeezed. Taking care that he didn't fall too hard, she placed him in a relatively clean and dry spot and hurried over to Leonard.

When she turned him onto his back, she had to swallow. 'Len,' she said quietly. 'Lenkam.' There was no response. His skin was ice cold and white, eyes sunken, lips cracked. None of that was good, but the one thing that frightened her was his breathing. There were long intervals between each breath, once a full twenty-six seconds. With a feeling that no help could possibly come fast enough, T'Kray fastened the Relocator around his wrist and opened her communicator.

'Covenant, I need Charika,' she said. Her voice sounded foreign. She decided to blame the cavern.

'Charika here.'

'Can you localise me?'

'Yes. Your Relocator and Leonard's.'

'Bring us up now.' She felt a jolt and after almost no loss of time found herself in the engine room. An emergency team was already standing by, and T'Kray backed away, following them to sickbay and forcing herself to keep out of the way. She wanted to enter the surgery room, but a nurse put a hand on her arm.

'Please wait outside,' she said. T'Kray wanted to protest, to shove her out of the way and hold Leonard's hand, but she knew she couldn't. Instead. He glanced at the ring on her hand and hoped fervently that she would get to give it back. Taking a few deep, calming breaths, T'Kray sat down outside the room Leonard had been brought into. She had done all she could. His fate was no longer in her hands but in those of the sickbay team. After a moment, she took her communicator. She had to tell James.

ϡ

Spock watched Jim carefully. The man's tension was tangible. While that was understandable, it could turn out dangerous. When the beep of the Communicator sounded, Jim jumped. 'Kirk here,' he said impatiently. His face went from troubled to pale. 'Understood,' he said at last. 'Thank you. If anything changes … thank you.' Jim turned to Spock, completely ignoring that Nentwych's was there. 'She's found him. It's … really bad. I don't know more than that.' Spock nodded curtly.

'We must keep focussed on the task at hand,' he said. 'We do not help by letting our awareness slip.' Jim nodded.

'No, indeed. So, Maria. How long before Two will come?'

'Any time,' she said. Spock led Jim to the far end of the room by his arm and spoke to him in an undertone.

'Captain, it appears that what we endeavoured to do has been accomplished. We have no reason to linger.' The thoughts chasing each other on Jim's face were visible clearly.

'Up on the ship,' he said then, equally quietly, 'there's one of the most important people in my life, fighting for his life. And I can do nothing for him. Here I have something to do.' His expression changed abruptly. 'But these are my demons, not yours. Go back to the Covenant.' Spock hesitated for a moment.

'No.'

'No?'

'No, sir. I am sorry, but I cannot.'

'What do you mean, you cannot? I have the Relocator, I can get out if things get nasty.'

'You are planning on entering the proverbial lions' den. You cannot do this alone. Regulations state clearly …' Jim raised both hands.

'Mercy! Very well, stay before you feel compelled to make up Regulations.'

'Vulcans cannot lie,' Spock said indignantly. The ghost of a smile appeared on Jim's face.

'That's the biggest lie of them all.' he said. The door opened, and Jim and Spock darted to the wall simultaneously. Two stepped inside, took in Nentwych on her couch, started to talk, but didn't get more than two words out. Jim had covered the distance to the door, banged it shut behind the Darii, and trained his phaser on him. 'Sit down right next to her. We have a few things to discuss.' The following gurgling sound was clearly not something very polite. 'So. Your leader is a Vulcan?'

'No.' Spock and Jim exchanged a glance.

'Professor Nentwych told us his name was Tilak,' Spock said. 'That is a Vulcan name.'

'Not a Vulcan. A Romulan.'

'It is certainly not a Romulan name.' Jim had an expression of comprehension on his face.

'That explains … a lot. A whole lot indeed.' He tilted his head. 'Mr Spock, what are the odds that the Romulan Star Empire could send … protection, effective protection for Driin?'

'Could or would?'

'Both.'

'Both zero. Any Romulan force of some significance so far from the Neutral Zone would be intercepted before they could even get close. While a single ship might make it here undetected, it would not be sufficient protection. Knowing that, the Romulans would not sacrifice a fleet for a mostly irrelevant planet.' Jim fixed his gaze on Two.

'Both … zero. How about a Romulan spy here, Spock?'

'Unknown. Perhaps brought with a cloaked bird-of-prey, but this is mere speculation.' Jim's expression clouded over.

'Maria … when did you say Tilak came?'

'Some … nine weeks ago.' Doing the calculations in his own head, Spock found that his time of arrival might correspond with Tilak's departure from the Cristóbal de Morales space station and the time of travel required.

'Two … have you been part of this … board of enquiry before Tilak came?' Jim asked Two gave him a contemptuous look. 'Answer me. This is more for the good of your people than my own.'

'The board of enquiry was started by Tilak. Before him it were just words.'

'Two … with all due respect. Do you condone murder and torture?' Spock's voice carried none of the disappointment that had settled somewhere in a well-monitored part of his mind. Two's expression changed, but only for a moment. And suddenly Spock understood. The Dariis had vivid facial expressions, and while this one's was there, it did not seem enough. 'Jim … I believe that this Darii is drugged. We have a captive woman who was in a similar state, only worse.'

'You … Two. You will bring me to Tilak.'

'I strongly advise you against that, Captain,' Spock said quickly.

'Duly noted.'

'I shall accompany you.'

'Don't make this difficult.'

'Captain, you will have to incapacitate me if you wish to stop me.' Jim frowned.

'Spock, I order you to return to the Covenant.'

'There is no need. Tilak is here no longer.' Both men stared at Two. Their breaths were coming short all of a sudden. 'He has … left, I was informed. My orders were …' Jim turned away, an expression of pain on his face.

'To take your life if pushed,' he finished the sentence. Spock started towards the water-dweller, but Jim stopped him.

_'No use. Potassium cyanide.' He looked at Nentwych. 'With Tilak gone, all those under the influence of a drug will no doubt __return to normal__. My scientists will repair the damage to the dome. And you … you could take charge of the board of enquiry. Turn it into the missing cathartic corrective. It could prevent an incident like this in the future.' He looked at Spock and sighed. 'Let us … let us go. I want to know how Bones is doing. I want to be there if he … You know.'_


	15. When the Candle is Out

_((Chapter heading is Quint's line. If you want music for the chapter, go find BWV 25, _Es ist nichts gesundes an meinem Leibe_ (the official translation seems to be _There is no soundness in my body_). It fits and is featured, even if I don't name it in the text. I first heard this one at work. I gaped at my screen for two or three minutes before I turned it off. Not because I didn't like it, but because I can't work with that in my ears.))_

* * *

T'Kray had waited patiently for about five minutes, feeling terribly inadequate. She knew Leonard was still alive – more or less. But she seriously doubted that whatever Durlan was doing would be enough. Making her decision, T'Kray got out of the waiting area and into her office. 'Privacy lock,' she said calmly. Her order was confirmed and she sat down on the floor after selecting music from the computer. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply, consciously feeling the rush of air. With every breath, the world around her faded, her focus turning inwards. Inwards, towards the link to her bondmate. She had promised him to help him, and she wasn't going to break her word to him.

Normally T'Kray meditated in silence. Vulcans generally did, and in this, she was no exception. But this time, her focus was not going to be on herself, and with her mate so silent, an external input might actually help. The music was just what he would like: dark, dissonant, and utterly depressing, a stark contrast to the bright nature of the man. She let the music do its work on her. She needed to go wherever he was.

The mind in general was a many-layered thing. There was conscious thought, intelligence, complex thought. There was perception, control of the body both conscious and unconscious. There were emotions. There were needs. To communicate with someone's mind, you had to reach them on the level they were on. This was why melding with anything that wasn't sentient was extremely hazardous.

Right now, Leonard couldn't be reached on the intellectual level, the one that humans usually meant when they talked about minds. She knew that all too well. During her last attempt to get through to him, she had gone deeper, to the perception. She was very certain that this wouldn't be sufficient either. She had been able to sense him, but nothing more.

Venturing deeper was problematic. Meditation up to the point she had reached so far fortified her control, her disciplines. It helped to cope with the fear. If she wanted to move on to the emotional level, T'Kray had to let go of her control. She focussed on the music. The piece lasted five minutes and had started to repeat itself as she had set it. She listened, and for once didn't care for structure, words, meaning. All she did was feel the pain of it, the despair expressed so expertly by the composer. And slowly, she relinquished her hold on herself.

She had expected to feel the fear she held in check, but as one of those who believed that control was better than suppression, she had never reigned herself as tightly as many other Vulcans did. T'Kray had believed that would help her now, and maybe it did. Maybe for those who told themselves they truly didn't feel it would be even more horrible to be exposed to all the conflicting feelings that battled for dominance. It was increasingly difficult to concentrate on her objective. Difficult to concentrate on maintaining her meditative state. But somehow, it worked. Her objective was finding her Len in the mess in her head. She felt him more keenly, but still couldn't reach him.

That was a bad sign, albeit not entirely surprising. Not only because it meant that he truly was far gone, but because it meant that getting back out would be difficult. If Leonard died, she might die with him. Sheer survival instinct kicked in, almost throwing her out of the meditation. Almost. Steadying herself, T'Kray focussed on what she could sense of her bondmate. She reached for him, and with the music clamouring through her soul, she pulled herself towards him into an abyss of pain and animal fear, aiming to steady, to hold, to anchor.

ϡ

Jim could barely register his surroundings – engineering, a few people from the medical department – before he sped out of the door with Spock on his heels. There was no need to discuss where they were going.

He crashed into sickbay. 'Doctor McCoy?' he asked the first nurse to come his way.

'Doctor Durlan is still working, we cannot say anything at this time.' Jim wanted to scream at her that she should answer him at once, but he forced himself not to. Instead he nodded.

'I want to be notified at once if you know … what … you know.' He rubbed a hand over his face. 'T'Kray anywhere?'

'In her office with a privacy lock.'

'I believe that she will be meditating, Captain,' Spock said softly. 'This is very difficult for her.' Jim nodded absently.

'Very well. I'll be … in my quarters. There are things I need to discuss.' He walked back out, sensing Spock beside him. They both remained silent on their walk, and for once, Jim shielded his thoughts. What he had to say was going to be difficult enough without sensing whatever Spock would feel when he did. 'Please sit,' he said once the door closed behind him. Spock tensed, obviously aware that something wasn't right. 'We need to talk.' A frown tugged at Spock's brows for a split second.

'This sentence does not customarily lead to a pleasant conversation,' he stated. When Jim failed to respond, he continued in a subdued voice, 'As far as I am aware it tends to introduce the end of a relationship.' Jim felt whatever anger there had been drain away. With two quick steps he was at Spock's side and pulled him back up into a standing position and a tight embrace.

'God, don't be ridiculous.' He felt the tension bleeding out of the Vulcan, strong arms coming around him and squeezing almost painfully hard. After squeezing back, Jim let go of him and took his face into his hands. 'I thought a bond was permanent.' Spock shrugged.

'Yes, but it can be broken by a Vulcan healer. It would be an agonising and dangerous process, but perhaps not completely impossible.' Jim shook his head.

'How can you be so insecure, Spock? You've … felt me, in every way possible. How can you doubt?' He frowned slightly. 'That … hurts me, you know.' Spock's face was hard to read, despite his attempts.

'I do not doubt your love, Jim. Apparently, I made a mistake. Depending on its gravity it would be logical to …'

'Shut up.' Jim managed to say that without any venom, his voice tender. The effect was still immediate. 'I will never leave you, for logical reasons or otherwise. I need to talk to you, and it's serious. But don't ever fear that I'll leave.' Spock offered a small nod. Jim brushed his fingertips over his cheek and sat back down. Spock placed one hand on the desk, palm up, and Jim took it, quite despite himself. 'Well … now here I was determined to keep this completely professional and you sabotage me like that. Spock … I know you were worried down on the planet, I know you don't want me to get hurt. But you can't just refuse to follow an order.'

'I did not.' Jim scowled slightly. At least he tried.

'Now don't be difficult.'

'I told you that you would have to stop me from following. But if Two had not interrupted, I would have returned to the ship, of course.' He looked down, studying their joined hands. 'My outburst was uncalled for. I apologise for that. I … did not anticipate that it would be so difficult to keep my concern in check.'

'This is exactly why a relationship as ours was forbidden in earlier times.'

'I am a Vulcan. I should not struggle.'

'Spock, don't be too hard on yourself. And it's not like this couldn't have happened before we were bonded. You always tried to protect me, from the day we met. I just need to be able to trust that you will follow an order you don't like. An order like leave me and save the ship.' Spock's lips tightened.

'You have my word, Captain.' Jim smiled.

'Good.' He stood and sighed. 'I'll be on the bridge.'

'According to regulations, after a sojourn away from the ship for over 48 hours in the line of duty, you may take a day's leave. And there is no threat from Driin or anywhere else.' Jim cocked his head and, after a moment of hesitation, pushed the intercom button. 'Kirk to bridge.'

'Zh'rane here … Please excuse Blau, she is … in a discussion.' Jim frowned.

'With Driin?'

'No, with Melav, sir.'

'Who's winning?'

'I hope Blau, sir. Should I notify you in case she doesn't?' Jim chuckled.

'Yes. Please do. You could help her by telling him that I need him and Mellow to be prepared to engage a shield and to see if they detect a cloaked vessel. Not that I think they'll find anything, but let them look.'

'That could help, thank you sir. Is this a drill?'

'No, actually, it's not. Good luck.' Jim cut the connection and glanced at Spock, feeling his eyes on him.

'Do you not believe you should intervene?'

'No. Blau's got the conn, she's got to handle the bridge. She'll manage, and if she doesn't she'll learn something about herself.' He let his face soften, the mask of the commanding officer slipping from him. 'Computer … block all commu…'

'Sickbay to Kirk.' Jim felt the blood drain from his face at Durlan's strained, beaten tone. He fixed his eyes on Spock's, needed to see that he was strong and stable and there.

'Kirk here,' he said hoarsely.

'Captain … Doctor McCoy is stabilised.' Jim dropped into his chair, overwhelmed by relief so strong he could hardly breathe.

'Oh thank God. Can I see him?'

'I'd like to discuss something with you. This is … all very strange.'

'I'll be there in a moment.' He looked at Spock. 'I'll … I'll be back here.'

'Captain, do I have permission to accompany you?'

'I'm tired, but not that much.'

'This is not it. Leonard is my friend as well.'

'Of course. Let's go.'

ϡ

Durlan seemed ready to fall asleep in her chair. She looked like a woman who had just emerged from a battle, and in a manner of speaking that was the case. Jim, Spock believed, didn't hear a word she was saying. The only thing he had registered was that his friend would live. 'It's so odd,' the doctor said in the end. 'By rights, he should be dead. There was a moment where I knew I couldn't do anything for him, and I was about to …' She swallowed. 'I was about to let him go, because …' When she faltered, Jim rescued her.

'I know. Refusal of life sustaining treatment.' He smiled. 'He's a close friend to me. There isn't much you can tell me I'm not aware of.' Durlan looked relieved.

'It … it looked like that was all I could do, you see. He couldn't breathe by himself. And then suddenly, he … he did, Captain. He breathed. Alone. And his heartbeat got more regular and all that. I have no idea how. I'll try and find out when he's better, but right now … the tests mean moving him and I don't think that's safe. I'd rather he's a living mystery than a dead answer.'

'I share that opinion. And so does he no doubt.'

'Perhaps I can clarify the mystery,' Spock said. 'Did T'Kray emerge from her office yet?' Durlan frowned slightly.

'No, she didn't. At least I didn't see her. But to tell you the truth, I didn't look. You think she did something? Can you people do that?'

'Under certain circumstances. If that is the case, she can tell you.'

'All right. Doctor Durlan … thank you. I'll go and see her.' Spock followed to her office. When they were stopped by a locked door, Jim sighed. 'Well, I'll just send a message to her to call when she's done.'

'I … believe she is.' The sounds from inside were not loud but distinct. Music was playing, in unless Spock was very much mistaken, the piece had just started replaying. 'Since he is stable now, we can assume that he does not require her help any longer.' He frowned at the door. 'Captain I suggest using your override. If T'Kray still is in a meditative state, you will not disturb her unless you speak to her.'

'What exactly do you think is wrong?'

'She may be unconscious.' Jim nodded.

'Computer, emergency override for lock.'

'Voice pattern recognised. Privacy lock released.' When he saw the crumpled figure on the floor, Spock wasn't surprised. While he lowered himself beside her, Jim darted to the computer and silenced it.

'Is she all right?' Spock took his hand from her pulse and nodded.

'I believe so.'

'Who listens to that sort of music?' Spock looked up from his crouched position.

'This was Bach,' he said, realising to his annoyance that he sounded indignant.

'Ah. Well, let's get her on a biobed.' Spock picked her up cautiously and carried her there. Durlan looked slightly shocked, but Jim intercepted her and told her what had happened. Another doctor hovered over T'Kray at once, and Spock rejoined Jim and Durlan after telling her firmly that direct skin contact with her should be avoided at all costs and if possible, she shouldn't be touched at all.

'So what the hell did she do?' Durlan asked the Vulcan.

'This would be difficult to explain to a human.' The woman flared.

'Now listen here, Lieutenant. I nearly lost a patient. I want to know why he lives, and I can hardly ask T'Kray right now.'

'Indeed.' Spock tried to find words that would help the medic understand. 'The difficulty is not lack of intelligence on your part, Doctor. It is merely a very different philosophical approach, and it concerns matters my people do not usually speak about. To you, the mind, the soul, and the body are different things. To us, mind and soul are one thing and cannot be separated from the body. While the soul, for lack of another word in your language, can be salvaged from a dying person, it cannot exist by itself. Likewise, the body cannot continue to live after the soul was ripped out. On the other hand, it seems a body can live if it came into being without a soul. In a bond such as it exists between T'Kray and Leonard, it is possible to secure the soul in the body.'

'Hold on. She could stop him from dying just by willing him to live? My God, what powers do you people have?'

'This is only possible between bondmates, Doctor. I could do it to Jim. I could not have done it to Leonard, not even in a meld. If his state was as critical as you describe, what she did was relinquish all that made her Vulcan. She went down to his most primal instincts and needs. She held that to him, the last flicker of his essence that still clung go life. She anchored this shred of his spirit in own and thereby his body, buying you time. While she did this, his body functioned because it was forced to, and you could heal him.'

'Lieutenant Spock … what would have happened if he'd died?'

'She might have died as well. Or she might have lived. I do not know, and neither will she. The important thing is that they both live. T'Kray will awaken soon, I believe. Do not touch her. Her shields are lowered and she will require hours of meditation to restore them.' A smile formed on Durlan's face.

'I'll make sure that this is understood. Captain, I believe you need rest.' He smiled vaguely.

'That's true for you as well. But I'd like to see him first.' Durlan sighed.

'Not today, Captain. I want him to rest without disturbance. If you come in tomorrow morning you can see him. But I warn you, he won't be awake yet.' Jim shook his head.

'Doesn't matter. As long as he'll wake at all.'


	16. Their Dreams and Ours

_((A line from Miss Jessel.))_

* * *

Some days didn't start out good. However, these were often the days that ended gloriously. You were woken by a headache, and it lasted until the late afternoon, but then, just when you were on the verge of killing it with chemical weapons, something happened and changed everything. A message from a friend you hadn't heard of for a decade. A small gesture from an unexpected source. Or simply that your headache finally subsided and you went to sleep feeling good, perhaps in the arms of the special person in your life.

Waking up with a headache was nasty. But waking up with a dull pain in your intestines was distinctly worse. Especially if your pain felt as if it should be worse. Add to that sluggish thoughts and you had a cocktail that could really destroy your mood.

On the other hand, cool fingers running through your hair were something good to wake up to. Leonard wanted to turn and hold the owner of those fingers close, but found that this was beyond his abilities. He felt slight panic and was very suddenly wide awake. 'Hush, don't talk. Don't move. Take your time.' T'Kray's gentle voice caressed his soul, and he calmed a little. 'You're back on the Covenant. You are safe and there'll be no lasting damage. You'll need a bit of time to get better, but Durlan let you wake up. If you promise to do what she says you can stay here and awake. If you don't cooperate, you'll need to be …'

'Put down,' he interrupted. 'I once said that by accident.' A cool finger sealed his lips.

'Hush, ashayam.' At last, Leonard did open his eyes. He lifted his left hand and found five fingers and his ring.

'I didn't dream this. I know I didn't.'

'No. You … were hurt.'

'How long have I been out?'

'Doctor Durlan kept you sedated for three days. Lenkam, you're not supposed to talk.'

'Well, then you talk to me, T'Kray. Tell me how I got here.' She swallowed.

'I found you. Brought you up with your Relocator.' Leonard frowned slightly.

'Keep it simple, I'm not my usual agile self, it seems.' Trying to process the offered information was difficult. He wasn't entirely sure of what he remembered either. He knew it would be natural to lose some memories after a blackout like his. 'You did something. I'm too clear for three days of induced coma.' A smile formed on her face.

'Yes. I had a hand in your recovery. My Len.' Her voice was laden with emotion and it struck him that this must have been really close. His hand found hers.

'Don't tell me you got to go. I missed you so much.' She shook her head.

'Turns out I'm on sick-leave myself for another day and if Durlan wants me to leave your side during that time she'll have to carry me. We're on the way to Starbase 10. Did you, by any chance, see a Romulan?'

'On Driin? No. Only a Proctophantasmist.' T'Kray blinked at him. 'Doctor down there. Never said his name so I chose one.' Her hold on his hand tightened.

'You're a brave man, Leonard. But I'm sure I told you so before.' He smiled, but he felt it increasingly difficult to focus. 'Sleep. Don't fight it so. The sedative is still in your system. You'll be allowed out in two days if all is well.'

'When can I work again?' The question earned him a withering look. 'All right, I'll be good. Don't worry. I sure don't want to be dropped off at the next best space station because I'm a horrible patient.' He brought the captured hand to his lips and kissed it. 'I promise, T'Kray.'

ϡ

Nita Daran looked nervous. Lieutenant Blau sat beside her with a benevolent smile, perhaps a source of comfort, perhaps another reason for the kid to fidget. Jim couldn't tell, but he believed it was the former. Not that he could blame her. He was used to dealing with brass – to tell the truth, he had never had much trouble with that – but he had lived a lot longer than her.

At least it was Admiral Ndaga. Driin must be a personal point of interest to him if he was here. It was just as well. He wasn't a difficult man, and yet Jim imagined that the slight tremor in Daran's hands wasn't from uncertainty of her facts but the Admiral's mere presence. There was no need. He radiated calm and composure, and if Jim was any judge, he had little knowledge of science anyway. 'I hear there was trouble on Driin,' Ndaga said when they were all seated in a lounge of Starbase 10. 'I imagined this would be a very simple trip, in and out, so to speak. A few repairs, a few words, and then we'd meet a representative of the Dariis to settle things.' He shook his head. 'At least I hoped it would be like it. I was aware there must be trouble because we lost contact with Driin. But from your report, Captain Kirk, I gather that trouble doesn't even begin to cover it.' He leaned back in his chair. 'I read it, but not entirely. You'll understand that I couldn't find the time.' Jim smiled.

'How far did you get, Admiral?'

'Until the statement that the time isn't ripe for them to join the Federation.' Jim sighed.

'While I never said that in quite those terms, that sums it up.' He leaned back in his chair. 'I gather that you haven't got to the results of the security team sent down after I was back on the Covenant.'

'I imagine that you shocked the Dariis with a host of armed soldiers. Don't get this wrong, you couldn't possible send them without weapons. Not after what happened. How is you CMO?'

'He's fine. It's his first day back on duty. He requested to be excused from the meeting and I didn't want to force him to relive the events on Driin here.'

'No, of course not.'

'Well. Our security team searched the laboratory while we scanned the orbit. Our sensors found nothing, but since we were told on the planet that Tilak had left …'

'Hold on. Tilak. Is there any evidence of his existence?'

'Yes,' Jim said firmly. 'Doctor John Port seems to have worked closely with Tilak. He has confirmed that Tilak is Romulan. Computer confirmed he was telling the truth.' Ndaga nodded slowly. 'Our assumption … and it's really nothing more than that … is that he is working on his own. Perhaps trying to get into the good books of the Romulan Star Empire by infiltrating a Federation society. Why he picked Driin is beyond me, perhaps some misinformation. We have a description of the man in the computer banks and I believe that he should be searched.' Jim lowered his voice. 'If the description is accurate, I believe that he was on the Cristóbal de Morales space station. He already called himself Tilak there. I am uncertain if it is a coincidence that he, too, went to Driin, even though he left before us.'

'As if that idiot Bligh hadn't been … don't you defend him, Kirk. If you had a Romulan spy here I'd hold you responsible, too. It was his job. Damn the man.' At their first encounter, Jim had found Ndaga almost eerily calm. Now he looked like a God of rage. 'You wouldn't believe what a mess the man left. He never checked any information given him. Not once. I wouldn't be surprised if he had a Romulan army under his nose. I know he's ill, but all the same.' The Admiral calmed himself with a deep breath. 'So. I take it you didn't find a Romulan vessel.'

'No. But there was a small cargo vessel nearby. I … never checked if that had any business being there.' Ndaga waved him away.

'Around Driin, that would be a touch job. There's a load of cargo vessels around that planet at times. They're traders. If you wanted to check them all, you wouldn't be able to get sleep. So you think he escaped on that vessel?'

'He may have. I have its serial number. It was reported missing for a time before it was found again. I couldn't find more data.'

'You wouldn't. Traders have rights, too many, if you ask me. But the owner can be identified. Not that this would tell us about potential passengers. I'll also check if that vessel was near the Morales recently. Kirk, you seem to attract trouble.' Jim smiled.

'Yes. I've noticed that.'

'So what did your people find?'

'A factory that produced a drug. In the process, they poisoned the water.'

'Ah, the problem with the dome in your report. It is under control?'

'Solved, more like. Thanks to Nita Daran here. Would you like to tell us more? I believe I'm out of my depth here.' Daran flushed crimson, and Blau shot her an encouraging look.

'I … yes. We couldn't find the drug, but we found files that indicate that research in that studies were conducted. It strips humans of their will. They can be easily controlled, if primed correctly, they'll follow any order. But only as long as the substance is in their system. Its metabolic half-life is short, so we couldn't isolate it in the system of the only victim we had on our hands. In the Dariis's system, its half-life is even shorter. It doesn't work as well with them, they don't respond as completely, but if the dosage is high enough they can be controlled as well as a human.'

'Other species?'

'Unknown.' Daran's voice was firmer now. 'We aren't certain of the chemical composition, because all files regarding those aspects were destroyed. But … maybe I'm reaching, but what if that Tilak didn't make a mistake when he picked Driin? What if this was a test run?'

'That … is entirely possible,' Jim said, his eyes widening.

'If that's the case, I'm even more convinced that it was in fact a good idea to have this meeting here,' Ndaga said. 'We're close to the Neutral Zone, and I am having any and all suspicious reports of the past two years looked through. Not that I expect much, but I have to try. This Tilak might or might not be a threat. Anything else we should know about him?'

'He can meld,' Jim said. 'He extracted information from Doctor McCoy. So far I was unaware that the Romulans can do that.' Ndaga sighed.

'I'll have that checked, too. Now about the dome?' This time it was Blau who answered.

'The dome is fully intact, as is the descent. What I find disconcerting is the … well, high is the wrong word, but the concentration of free chlorine in the ocean was worrisome. It must mean that Tilak had quite the amount of drug produced down there, certainly more than he needed for that relatively small band of people our security found. Not all of them were forced to do his bidding. Some, like Doctor Port, collaborated out of lust for power. Nentwych out of fear. Actually, there were a lot of people who knew something was terribly wrong, but they never tried to resist. Like Mermer. Or Two.'

'Two was drugged,' Jim said.

'And a Darii. Stuff's not that strong for them, according to Tilak's notes. Maybe he was getting restive towards the end, but at the beginning, I believe he preferred not to see the violence.'

'Well. So, Captain, I take it you do not believe that Driin is ready to join us.' It wasn't a question.

'Not right now, it isn't. I would like to see what becomes of the board of enquiry. May I make a suggestion?' Ndaga made an inviting gesture.

'This is the whole point of me hearing you. You were there and saw what's happening. You can be a better judge of the situation than I.'

'If … this were up to me, I would send someone to the planet. A few people, actually. Tried people. Reliable people. Some in the Dome. Some with different views in the board of enquiry. Let them … work together, find a way.'

'You think this board should be maintained?'

'Before it came to be, the Dariis just nodded when their rulers made decisions. This seems to be the first time in their history there was dissent. I believe that in order to … fortify them against exploitation, they need a channel for civil disagreement. The board of enquiry could be that.'

'I will not leave it in the hands of Nentwych.'

'No. She was just … the only one at hand at that time.'

'How long will they take?' Jim shrugged.

'I don't know. I'd just … sit back and watch. More closely than the Federation did so far. Let them come in their own time, when they're sure. All of them, not just the top seven.'

'You do not seem concerned about the prime directive regarding Driin.'

'I'm not. They know about us. A lot. And they've already mixed with humans too much for that. But of course, such a decision cannot be made against the will of the Dariis. If they say they never want to see a human being again, we should accept that, too. I believe.'

'I doubt that they'll say that,' Ndaga said. 'I'm with you on all this. Captain, I believe I have the next assignment for you. I'll have all data about the cargo vessel delivered to you, including the kind you wouldn't get easily. Follow it to where it came from. Go to the port it started to Driin from and interview the people there. Find out if a Romulan somehow got onto it. I'll get that official, give you all the information I can, and then you can go. And while you're searching, I'll find some reason to send the Covenant to Vulcan, even if I've got to invent one. I promised you that, and I haven't forgotten.'

* * *

_((I'm wondering if I fooled anyone into believing I could kill Bones. I almost fooled myself._

_This isn't a long chapter, but I don't want to give any more information just yet. That's going to be next. Which means … we're done here. Like before, I'll need a bit of time to look for potential loose ends (and this time I mean business, since the next part will be the last). So … three down, one to go. Next will be _Fire_. The chapter headings will return to the usual random mostly-quotes-style. But this was a hilarious experiment! XD ))_


End file.
